US 12,220,883 B2
Method and apparatus for manufacturing a formed article of a composite material
Kazumasa Kawabe, Fukui (JP); and Shin Kaechi, Fukui (JP)
Assigned to FUKUI PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT, Fukui (JP)
Appl. No. 17/630,770
Filed by FUKUI PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT, Fukui (JP)
PCT Filed Mar. 17, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/010740
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/193268, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 30, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-055247 (JP), filed on Mar. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0266546 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/54 (2006.01); B29C 33/04 (2006.01); B29C 33/68 (2006.01); B29C 70/34 (2006.01); B29C 70/42 (2006.01); B29C 70/46 (2006.01); B29C 43/14 (2006.01); B29C 43/52 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/06 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/54 (2013.01) [B29C 33/04 (2013.01); B29C 33/68 (2013.01); B29C 70/345 (2013.01); B29C 70/42 (2013.01); B29C 70/46 (2013.01); B29C 70/465 (2013.01); B29C 2043/144 (2013.01); B29C 2043/527 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0809 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0872 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a formed article of a composite material, the method comprising:
a preforming process in which a material comprising thermoplastic resin material and fabric material is accommodated in a preforming mold with a release sheet being arranged between said material and said preforming mold, is heated, is pressurized to impregnate said thermoplastic resin material into said fabric material, and is thereby preformed into an impregnated intermediate material, said release sheet being flexible;
a transport process in which said impregnated intermediate material is taken out from said preforming mold in a heated state with said release sheet left attached thereto, and after said impregnated intermediate material is taken out said preforming mold, said release sheet is peeled off of said impregnated intermediate material; and
a forming process in which said impregnated intermediate material, which has been taken out from said preforming mold, without said release sheet is accommodated in a forming mold in the heated state and is formed into the formed article of the composite material by pressurizing, the formed article of the composite material being a fiber-reinforced composite material.