Patent ID: 9259879
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: B29B,B29C,B29K,B32B,C08J,D03D,D06B,D06M,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method for fabricating a composite part wherein an overall cure time is reduced as a result of a decrease in debulking time prior to curing, said method comprising: laying up a plurality of uncured prepregs to form a composite layup; debulking the composite layup to remove air and volatiles therefrom by: (a) sealing a vacuum bag over the composite layup; (b) drawing a vacuum from within said vacuum bag; (c) applying pressure external to the vacuum bag; and (c) continuing to draw vacuum and to apply pressurize for a predetermined time interval; and curing the composite layup after debulking, wherein at least some of the uncured prepregs are porous prepregs with surface openings, each of said porous prepregs comprising: a woven fabric having two opposing faces and a weaving pattern in which one or more tows in a first weaving direction float over one or more tows in a second weaving direction, then pass under one or more tows in the second weaving direction, wherein a pocket is defined in the fabric surface when a first tow in the first weaving direction passes over a second tow in the second weaving direction then under an adjacent third tow in the second weaving direction, or when the first tow passes under a second tow in the second weaving direction then over an adjacent third tow in the second weaving direction, and the pocket location is defined by the portion of the first tow that is going up or going down between the adjacent second and third tows; a curable, hot-melt resin film covering one or both face(s) of the fabric and penetrating partially through the thickness of the fabric leaving an inner section of the fabric, in the thickness direction, substantially free of the resin film; and an array of openings in at least one of the resin films, each opening exposing at least a portion of the pocket in the fabric surface and configured to create a fluid flow path from the inner section of the fabric to at least one outer surface of the prepreg, or from at least one outer surface of the prepreg to the inner section, or from one outer surface of the prepreg to an opposite outer surface, or combination thereof.