Multidirectional Filament Reinforced Tape and Method of Manufacture

Abstract

The apparatus is a laminar shear resistant pre-impregnated resin tape for use in die forming pultrusuion processes, with the tape formed by integrating three distinguishable layers, each with integrated parallel reinforcing filaments. The layers are arranged within the tape so that the filaments of adjacent layers are oriented at angles to each other. The tape of the preferred embodiment of the invention is constructed with the filaments of the center layer at 90 degrees to the length of the tape and the filaments of the two outer layers aligned with the length of the tape. The center layer can be more heavily loaded with filaments than conventional tapes, and the outer two layers have less than the amount of filament load of the center layer.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A three layer filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape for use in a multilayer article constructed of layers of said tape laminated together comprising:
 a first outer tape layer with length, width, and thickness dimensions comprising resin and continuous reinforcing filaments, with the filaments oriented in the direction of the length dimension of the tape;   a second outer layer with length, width, and thickness dimensions comprising resin and continuous reinforcing filaments, with the filaments oriented in the direction of the length dimension of the tape;   a center layer with length, width, and thickness dimensions located between the two outer layers and comprising resin and continuous reinforcing filaments, with the filaments oriented in a direction transverse to the length direction of the tape; and with the center and outer layers laminated into a single structure tape,   with the thickness of the A three layer filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape being no more than about 0.03 inches.   
     
     
         17 . The filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the length and width dimensions of all the layers are the same. 
     
     
         18 . The filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the outer layers thicknesses are different than the thickness of the center layer. 
     
     
         19 . The filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the filament weight per area in the outer layers of the tape is less than the filament weight per area of the center layer of the tape. 
     
     
         20 . The filament reinforced pre-impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the range of filament weight per area of the center layer is in the range of from 30 to 200 grams/square meter. 
     
     
         21 . The filament reinforced pre impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the filament weight per area in the first outer layer of the tape is not the same as the filament weight per area in the second outer layer of the tape. 
     
     
         22 . The filament reinforced pre impregnated tape of  claim 16  wherein the resin content in the first outer layer of the tape is not the same as the resin content in the second outer layer of the tape.