US 12,138,869 B2
Method for manufacturing a prepreg made of a composite material
Thierry Renault, Dinard (FR); and Sébastien Guéroult, Nantes (FR)
Assigned to INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE TECHNOLOGIQUE JULES VERNE, Bouguenais (FR)
Appl. No. 16/968,480
Filed by Institut de Recherche Technologique Jules VERNE, Bouguenais (FR)
PCT Filed Feb. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/053186
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 28, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/155013, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 15, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18 51108 (FR), filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0039338 A1, Feb. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. B29C 70/46 (2006.01); B29B 15/12 (2006.01); B29C 70/50 (2006.01); B29K 101/12 (2006.01); B29K 105/08 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/465 (2013.01) [B29B 15/12 (2013.01); B29C 70/50 (2013.01); B29K 2101/12 (2013.01); B29K 2105/0872 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing an intermediate prepreg, intended to form at least one portion of a finished part, said prepreg being made from a composite material comprising a matrix made from a thermoplastic material and reinforcing fibers embedded in the matrix, the method comprising the following consecutive steps:
providing at least one reinforcement layer and at least one matrix sheet made of thermoplastic material;
forming a complex with said reinforcement layer and said matrix sheet; and
placing the complex in a prepreg production tool, the production tool being heated to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material so that the thermoplastic material impregnates the fibers of the reinforcement layer(s) in order to form a prepreg,
wherein before placing the complex in the production tool, the method comprises the following consecutive steps:
placing at least the matrix sheet in a treatment tool; and
heating said matrix sheet to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material,
wherein the method comprises, in the production tool, the following consecutive steps:
heating the complex to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material without applying pressure on said complex,
heating the complex to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic material while applying a production pressure higher than atmospheric pressure on the complex, and
wherein the treatment tool comprises two plates between which the matrix sheet is heated and crushed by applying pressure on the matrix sheet with the two plates.