METHOD OF PRODUCING SHAPED ARTICLES FROM REINFORCED COMPOSITES

摘要

"Method of Producing Shaped Articles from Reinforced Composites" A method of shaping a body of thermoformable material containing continuous filaments comprising selecting a thermoplastic polymeric material having a minimum forming temperature which is no less than, and is preferably greater than the minimum temperature at which the thermoformable material of the reinforced body can be formed, contacting at least one surface of the reinforced body with the thermoplastic material, heating the reinforced body and a body of the thermoplastic material to a temperature at which the thermoplastic can be formed and applying a differential pressure preferably of not greater than 10 atmospheres, between opposite sides of the assembly of thermoplastic body and thermoformable body to induce a desired shaping of the reinforced thermoformable body and cause rearrangement of the filaments relative to each other, and adhering the thermoplastic body to the thermoformable body. The thermoplastic body not only provides a means for shaping the thermoformable body but provides a surface finish which provides high quality surface finish and environmental resistance.