Patent ID: 6478913
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B29C,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a filled hollow fibre composite material including the steps oflaying up a plurality of prepreg plies of hollow fibre composite material and non-stick film material one on top of another with the non-stick film material interleaving successive plies at selected areas thereof, treating the laid up interleaved plies to resin bond together the ply areas not interleaved with the non-stick film material to form a hollow fibre composite material laminate in which the interleaved areas remain unbonded together, treating edge regions of the laminate to expose open unfilled hollow fibre ends, separating the plies at the non-stick film material in the unbonded interleaved areas to provide access to the open hollow fibre ends in each ply and, introducing a film material or materials having desired properties different from that of the hollow fibre material, into the hollow fibres through the open hollow fibre ends in one or more of the separated plies in the unbonded interleaved areas to form a filled hollow fibre composite material.