The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
May. 10, 2022

Filed:

Jul. 23, 2019
Applicant:

Ut-battelle, Llc, Oak Ridge, TN (US);

Inventors:

Vlastimil Kunc, Knoxville, TN (US);

Craig A. Blue, Knoxville, TN (US);

Ahmed A. Hassen, Knoxville, TN (US);

John M. Lindahl, Knoxville, TN (US);

Lonnie J. Love, Knoxville, TN (US);

Brian K. Post, Knoxville, TN (US);

Assignee:

UT-BATTELLE, LLC, Oak Ridge, TN (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B29C 31/08 (2006.01); B29C 43/34 (2006.01); B29C 43/18 (2006.01); B29C 31/04 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B29C 31/085 (2013.01); B29C 31/045 (2013.01); B29C 43/18 (2013.01); B29C 43/34 (2013.01);
Abstract

A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.


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