Patents Assigned to Hexcel Reinforcements
  • Patent number: 9796141
    Abstract: The present invention relates especially to an intermediate material comprising, or even constituted exclusively by, an array of individualised ribbons, each ribbon being composed by a tape of unidirectional reinforcing fibres associated, by adhesion, on each of its faces with a veil of thermoplastic fibres, characterised in that the ribbons are disposed in successive layers, in such a way that the ribbons of two successive layers are superposed with or without crossing but without interlacement, the bond between a ribbon and the ribbon or ribbons with which it is superposed being ensured by adhesion, and in that in each layer the ribbons are disposed substantially parallel to each other over at least the major part of their length, while being independent and spaced from each other and in that the ribbons of at least two layers extend in two different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Patent number: 9702066
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite material in which at least one reinforcement thread is deposited on a surface according to a path having at least one curved area on the deposition surface, wherein the reinforcement thread is connected to the surface by a polymeric binder. A twist is applied to the reinforcement thread before the deposition thereof at least in order to compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the deposition surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements, S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere
  • Patent number: 9702065
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making a composite part including an assembly of superimposed webs of reinforcement threads imbedded at least partially in a polymer matrix, said part including at least one curved area and the method comprising steps of draping or stacking plies of a composite material, characterized in that, in at least one area adjacent to a curved area, at least one draping or stacking step is carried out with a ply of composite material, that comprises a web, or twisted thread web, including at least one twisted reinforcement thread in order to at least compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the surface of the web; the invention also relates to the composite materials thus obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements, S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere, Jean-Benoit Thiel, Jacques Ducarre
  • Patent number: 9695533
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intermediate product intended for the production of a composite part in combination with a resin matrix, formed by at least two unidirectional sets of reinforcing yarns, the yams of each set extending in a different direction, whereby the sets are interlinked by means of stitching or knitting using at least one stitching or knitting yarn. The invention is characterized in that the stitching or knitting yarn has a yarn count of less than or equal to 30 dTex, preferably less than or equal to 25 dTex, in accordance with standard EN ISO 2060.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Patrick Henrat
  • Patent number: 9682515
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for preparing a ribbon of reinforcement strands or filaments associated on each of its faces with a polymeric binder, said ribbon having a given width substantially constant over its entire length, in which the strands or filaments extend in a direction parallel to the length of the ribbon, wherein it comprises the following steps: a) adjustment of the ribbon width to the desired width thanks to a dimensioning device, b) association of the ribbon on each of its faces with a polymeric binder allowing the assurance of a homogenous cohesion of the ribbon, such that the total weight of the binder does not exceed 25% of the total weight of the obtained ribbon, as well as the ribbons obtainable by such a process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere, Jean-Florent Lamethe, Jacques Ducarre
  • Patent number: 9637850
    Abstract: A method for spreading a textile sheet where the sheet is caused to run between at least two rotary rollers, the axes of which extend parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the running direction of sheet. The sheet under pressure is caused to pass between at least one pressure generator of the rollers driven into axial oscillation and in phase opposition. At least one pressure generator of the rollers has adjustable pressure values along the generator in order to spread the sheet with a low thickness variability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere
  • Patent number: 9508471
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material (I) adapted for the production of composite parts by a process in which a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix is diffused within said material, comprising at least one sheet (1) of unidirectional carbon fibers (2) associated on at least one of its faces with at least one conductive component (5) associated or integrated with a permeable layer (3a, 3b, 10) in a thermoplastic material or in a mixture of thermoplastic or thermosetting materials, said permeable layer being in the form of a fabric, a powder, a porous film, a knit, or, preferably, a non-woven (3a, 3b, 10), a process for fabricating composite parts using such a material and the composite parts that can be obtained by such a process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Andrea Viard
  • Patent number: 9475254
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stack of fibrous materials including at least two unidirectional carbon fiber layers, each extending in different directions, wherein each one of the unidirectional layers is connected by means of at least one of the surfaces thereof to an adjacent web of thermoplastic fibers, at least one web being inserted between two consecutive unidirectional layers, characterized in that the link between each unidirectional layer and each adjacent web is provided by the web, by weld points which produce an intermittent overall weld, and in that said weld points also guarantee the cohesion of the stack, as well as the method for manufacturing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Patent number: 9427917
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a new intermediate material to be associated with a thermosetting resin for making composite parts, consisting of a unidirectional layer of carbon fibers with a weight of 100 to 280 g/m2, associated on each of its faces, with a web of thermoplastic fibers having a thickness of 0.5 to 50 microns, preferably 3 to 35 microns, the intermediate material having a total thickness of 80 to 380 microns, preferably from 90 to 320 microns, and a process for manufacturing composite parts from such a material and the resulting composite parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jean-Florent Lamethe, Jean-Christophe Minni
  • Patent number: 9205603
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing a tape with a given width, said tape being composed of an assembly of filaments extending in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the tape, and between which a powder of a polymeric material is distributed, each face of said tape being associated with a nonwoven of polymeric fibers, the method comprising: —a step consisting in depositing powder formed from a polymeric material on at least one of the faces of the tape, preferably on both faces; —a step consisting in heating in order to at least partially soften the deposited powder then of tightening the tape in order to adjust its width to the width desired and to cause at least a portion of the powder to penetrate into the thickness of the tape between the filaments, and of cooling the tape to fix its width and provide cohesiveness because of the powder; and—to tapes obtained using said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Patent number: 9163317
    Abstract: A method for producing a diffusion layer of an electrochemical device, including: superimposition of multiple unidirectional webs of carbon filaments, filaments of each web positioned parallel with, and next to, one another; needle punching of the webs, breaking a proportion of the filaments such that broken portions of the filaments are tangled with other filaments of the webs; and cutting a proportion of the multiple unidirectional webs, the carbon filaments forming one electrically conducting outer surface of the diffusion layer. The needle punching is accomplished all the way through the multiple unidirectional webs, and/or through two principal opposite faces of the multiple unidirectional webs, and/or with an impact density against the multiple unidirectional webs of between approximately 100 and 300 impacts/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives, HEXCEL REINFORCEMENTS
    Inventors: Arnaud Morin, Jean-Marc Beraud, Jenny Jonquille, Joel Pauchet, Jean-Marc Senecot
  • Patent number: 9132606
    Abstract: An intermediate material made up of an array of individualized ribbons, each ribbon being composed of a tape of unidirectional reinforcing fibers associated, by adhesion, on each of its faces with a veil of thermoplastic fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Publication number: 20150028514
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use, in the fabrication of a composite part formed from a stack of reinforcement materials of carbon fibres between which is sandwiched at least one layer of thermoplastic or thermosetting material or a mixture of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, of an operation of spot application of transverse forces on at least two layers constituting the stack and positioned as neighbours in the stack, so as to successively traverse at least one reinforcement material and at least one layer of thermoplastic or thermosetting material or a mixture of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials placed in superposed position, to improve the transverse electrical conductivity of the composite part obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Andrea Viard, Jacques Ducarre
  • Publication number: 20140322511
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing a tape with a given width, said tape being composed of an assembly of filaments extending in a direction substantially parallel to the length of the tape, and between which a powder of a polymeric material is distributed, each face of said tape being associated with a nonwoven of polymeric fibers, the method comprising: —a step consisting in depositing powder formed from a polymeric material on at least one of the faces of the tape, preferably on both faces; —a step consisting in heating in order to at least partially soften the deposited powder then of tightening the tape in order to adjust its width to the width desired and to cause at least a portion of the powder to penetrate into the thickness of the tape between the filaments, and of cooling the tape to fix its width and provide cohesiveness because of the powder; and —to tapes obtained using said method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: HEXCEL REINFORCEMENTS
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Publication number: 20140165529
    Abstract: The invention relates to a composite material in which at least one reinforcement thread is deposited on a surface according to a path having at least one curved area on the deposition surface, wherein the reinforcement thread is connected to the surface by a polymeric binder. A twist is applied to the reinforcement thread before the deposition thereof at least in order to compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the deposition surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Hexcel Reinforcements, S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere
  • Patent number: 8696850
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a composite material in which at least one reinforcement thread is deposited on a surface according to a path having at least one curved area on the deposition surface, wherein the reinforcement thread is connected to the surface by a polymeric binder, characterized in that a twist is applied to the reinforcement thread before the deposition thereof at least in order to compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the deposition surface: the invention also relates to the composite material thus obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements S.A.S.
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Alain Bruyere
  • Patent number: 8486216
    Abstract: A process for placing at least one fiber element on a surface is disclosed so as to provide a deposited fiber element having a width that varies longitudinally. The process may provide a step in which the width of the fiber element is modified upstream of the deposition step using a width control device. A device for performing the process is also disclosed. Further, fibrous sheets containing one or more deposited fiber element having a width that varies longitudinally are also disclosed. Preforms formed from one or more of the fibrous sheets are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcement
    Inventors: Alain Bruyère, Jean Benoit Thiel
  • Patent number: 8438825
    Abstract: An applicator head for cutting yarn into segments of yarn and depositing the segments of yarn on a deposition surface. The applicator head includes a single mechanism that moves the yarn towards said deposition surface and also cuts the yarn into segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Publication number: 20130108823
    Abstract: An intermediate material made up of an array of individualised ribbons, each ribbon being composed of a tape of unidirectional reinforcing fibres associated, by adhesion, on each of its faces with a veil of thermoplastic fibres.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Hexcel Reinforcements
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Beraud, Jacques Ducarre, Jean-Benoit Thiel
  • Publication number: 20130061459
    Abstract: A method for producing a diffusion layer of an electrochemical device, including: superimposition of multiple unidirectional webs of carbon filaments, filaments of each web positioned parallel with, and next to, one another; needle punching of the webs, breaking a proportion of the filaments such that broken portions of the filaments are tangled with other filaments of the webs; and cutting a proportion of the multiple unidirectional webs, the carbon filaments forming one electrically conducting outer surface of the diffusion layer. The needle punching is accomplished all the way through the multiple unidirectional webs, and/or through two principal opposite faces of the multiple unidirectional webs, and/or with an impact density against the multiple unidirectional webs of between approximately 100 and 300 impacts/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicants: HEXCEL REINFORCEMENTS, Commissariat a I'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Arnaud Morin, Jean-Marc Beraud, Jenny Jonquille, Joel Pauchet, Jean-Marc Senecot