Yamaha Corporation

Eizi Abe

Kunio Hiyama

Toshiharu Fukushima

Masuhiro Okada

Toshihari Fukushima

Kaoru Hashimoto

Using a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, component materials of shapes obtained by partitioning the shape of the desired hollow article into a plurality of parts are molded. Reinforcing members 5, made of a prepreg wherein reinforcing fiber is impregnated with thermoplastic resin, are affixed to the junctions of these component materials 1. These are housed within mold 7 as a hollow provisional assembly and a joined unitary body is formed by adding pressure and heating. Using the method of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently manufacture a complicatedly shaped hollow article, the obtained molded article being one which excels in mechanical strength and, moreover, has a surface which is continuous and smooth.

Method for manufacturing fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin molded

In the production of a hollow FRP article such as a wood type carbon black golf club head, a hollow resin shell is formed via blow molding, heat-resistant fine particles are filled as a filler into the interior of the resin shell, the interior of the resin shell is decompressed to form an inner mold, the inner mold is covered with FRP prepreg including thermoplastic resin to form a prepreg composite, the prepreg composite is heated in a metallic mold under pressure and the fine articles are removed after demolding. A golf club shaft is formed by heating a mandrel, applying thermoplastic resin powder to the mandrel and then winding a lamellar prepreg around the mandrel to thereby form a hollow shaft. A golf club is formed from a head and shaft formed as described above by enlarging the end of the shaft, placing the shaft and the head in a mold and heating the mold under pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Eizi Abe