US 11,717,986 B2
Blended fiber mat formation for structural applications
Probir Kumar Guha, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US); Philippe Bonte, Pouance (FR); Marc-Philippe Toitgans, Pouance (FR); Dominique Boyer, Pouance (FR); Gaetan Boivin, Pouance (FR); and Anais Harbonnier, Pouance (FR)
Assigned to Teijin Automotive Technologies, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Continental Structural Plastics, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/206,197.
Application 17/206,197 is a division of application No. 16/465,467, granted, now 11,072,092, previously published as PCT/US2017/063693, filed on Nov. 29, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/428,035, filed on Nov. 30, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0206024 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. B29B 13/08 (2006.01); B29B 15/08 (2006.01); B29B 7/90 (2006.01); B29C 70/08 (2006.01); B29C 70/12 (2006.01); D04H 1/4242 (2012.01); D06M 10/02 (2006.01); B29B 9/14 (2006.01); B29B 9/16 (2006.01); B32B 5/26 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29B 7/905 (2013.01) [B29B 9/14 (2013.01); B29B 9/16 (2013.01); B29B 13/08 (2013.01); B29B 15/08 (2013.01); B29C 66/028 (2013.01); B29C 70/08 (2013.01); B29C 70/12 (2013.01); B32B 5/26 (2013.01); D04H 1/4242 (2013.01); D06M 10/025 (2013.01); B29B 2009/163 (2013.01); B32B 2310/14 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for forming a blended fiber mat comprising:
two or more reels of different types of fiber tow;
a vortex chamber configured as a tube, said tube housing a cutting system configured to receive the two or more types of fiber tow to form chopped fiber from the two or more reels of fiber tow;
a pressurized gas flow directed into said vortex chamber having both rotary and vertical flow components that form a vortex within said vortex chamber, said cutting system is disposed above the vortex; and
a moving belt positioned under the tube to collect the chopped fiber exiting the tube under gravity.