METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS-FIBRE-REINFORCED HOLLOW-BODY STRUCTURE, AND CONTINUOUS-FIBRE-REINFORCED HOLLOW-BODY STRUCTURE PRODUCED THEREBY

• Main Authors: MICHEL, Peter, STIELER, Thomas
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 28.03.2018
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

The present invention relates to a method for producing a continuous-fibre-reinforced hollow-body structure (1), comprising the steps: providing a profile-shaped hollow body (2) from a composite (2') which comprises thermoplastic matrix fibres (3) and temperature-stable continuous reinforcement fibres (4); arranging an expansion profile (5) within the hollow body; heating the hollow body to above the melting temperature of the matrix fibres; receiving the hollow body within a mould cavity (6) which is enclosed by at least one mould wall (7) that defines the contour of the hollow-body structure; consolidating and/or thermoforming the hollow body by the hollow body being placed against the mould wall by means of the application of pressure by a pressure medium (8) that is present and/or has been introduced into the expansion profile; cooling and removing the formed hollow-body structure, wherein the expansion profile is formed by a thermoplastic tubular film (5') and the melting temperature of the material of the tubular film is higher than the melting temperature of the matrix fibres.