US2008141614A1PendingUtilityA1

Flexible fiber reinforced composite rebar

Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 14, 2006Filed: Dec 13, 2007Published: Jun 19, 2008

Est. expiryDec 14, 2026(~0.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority

Inventors:Brian J. Knouff Alan Fatz A. Dean Thompson William P. Junk

B29C 53/14E04C 5/07

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References

Claims

Abstract

A flexible fiber reinforced composite rebar structure includes a plurality of continuous fibers embedded within a thermoplastic resin. The rebar structure has an elliptical cross sectional shape with an aspect ratio of about two to one and a twist with a twist pitch of about 30 cm. The thermoplastic resin matrix enables the rebar structure to be bent in the field by the application of heat to soften the structure and thereafter cooled to return to a rigid state.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified

1 . A composite reinforcement bar structure comprising:
 (a) a thermoplastic resin matrix;   (b) a plurality of elongated fibers embedded in said matrix to form a reinforcement bar; and   (c) said bar having a flattened cross sectional shape.   
   
   
       2 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a helical twist.   
   
   
       3 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a helical twist with a twist pitch ranging from about 6 to 24 inches (15.24 to 60.96 cm).   
   
   
       4 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a helical twist with a twist pitch of about 30 cm.   
   
   
       5 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a cross sectional aspect ratio of about two to one.   
   
   
       6 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a substantially elliptical cross sectional shape.   
   
   
       7 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a substantially elliptical cross sectional shape with a cross sectional aspect ratio of about two to one.   A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:   (a) said thermoplastic resin matrix is formed of a polypropylene resin.   
   
   
       8 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said fibers are formed from one of a group of materials consisting of glass, carbon, aramid, and metal.   
   
   
       9 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said fibers are formed of glass.   
   
   
       10 . A structure as set forth in  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) said fibers form approximately 45 percent of a volume of said bar.   
   
   
       11 . A composite reinforcement bar structure comprising:
 (a) a thermoplastic resin matrix;   (b) a plurality of continuous fibers embedded in said matrix to form a reinforcement bar;   (c) said bar having a substantially elliptical cross sectional shape; and   (d) said bar having a helical twist.   
   
   
       12 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a helical twist with a twist pitch ranging from about 6 to 24 inches (15.24 to 60.96 cm).   
   
   
       13 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a helical twist with a twist pitch of about 30 cm.   
   
   
       14 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a cross sectional aspect ratio of about two to one.   
   
   
       15 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said thermoplastic resin matrix is formed of a polypropylene resin.   
   
   
       16 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said fibers are formed from one of a group of materials consisting of glass, carbon, aramid, and metal.   
   
   
       17 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said fibers are formed of glass.   
   
   
       18 . A structure as set forth in  claim 12  wherein:
 (a) said fibers form approximately 45 percent of a volume of said bar.   
   
   
       19 . A composite reinforcement bar structure comprising:
 (a) a thermoplastic resin matrix;   (b) a plurality of continuous fibers embedded in said matrix to form a reinforcement bar, said fibers being formed from one of a group of materials consisting of glass, carbon, aramid, and metal;   (c) said bar having a substantially elliptical cross sectional shape with a cross sectional aspect ratio of about two to one;   (d) said bar having a helical twist with a twist pitch ranging from about 6 to 24 inches (15.24 to 60.96 cm).   
   
   
       20 . A structure as set forth in  claim 20  wherein:
 (a) said bar has a twist pitch of about 30 cm.   
   
   
       21 . A structure as set forth in  claim 20  wherein:
 (a) said thermoplastic resin matrix is formed of a polypropylene resin.   
   
   
       22 . A structure as set forth in  claim 20  wherein:
 (a) said fibers are formed of glass.   
   
   
       23 . A structure as set forth in  claim 20  wherein:
 (a) said fibers form approximately 45 percent of a volume of said bar.   
   
   
       24 . In a process for forming a composite reinforcement bar structure including a plurality of elongated fibers embedded in a polymeric matrix, the improvement comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a thermoplastic resin to form said polymeric matrix;   (b) embedding said elongated fibers within said matrix to form a reinforcement bar;   (c) flattening said reinforcement bar to result in a cross sectional aspect ratio greater than one to one; and   (d) twisting the flattened bar to achieve a twist pitch ranging from about 6 to 24 inches (15.24 to 60.96 cm).   
   
   
       25 . A process as set forth in  claim 25  wherein said flattening step includes the step of:
 (a) flattening said bar to result in a substantially elliptical cross sectional shape having an aspect ratio of about two to one.   
   
   
       26 . A process as set forth in  claim 25  wherein said twisting step includes the step of:
 (a) twisting the flattened bar to achieve a twist pitch of about 30 cm.

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