Polymer composite reed valve

Abstract: A polymer composite reed (10) for a reed valve is provided, wherein the reed (10) has improved mechanical properties as a result of its construction and is highly resistant to chemical and thermal attack. The improved mechanical properties of the reed (10) are primarily due to the reed (10) being reinforced with two plies of fabric (12) having a harness satin-weave, which provides the reed (10) with a flexural modulus that is substantially greater in one direction of the reed (10). The chemical and thermal properties are primarily due to a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material (18) from which the reed (10) is formed. In addition, the thermoplastic material (18) enhances the fracture toughness of the reed (10) so as to improve the durability of the reed (10). As a result, the reed (10) is highly suitable for applications requiring long life under high speed, cyclic loading, such as those found in two-stroke and four-stroke internal combustion engines for the automobile industry.

Description: The present invention generally relates to reeds for reed-valves which are suitable for use in two-stroke and four-stroke engine applications. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved reed of the reinforced polymer composite-type as specified in the preamble of claim 1. Reed-valves are often employed in applications where a fluid is intended to flow in one direction through a passage, but not in the opposite direction, much like a check-valve. Though automotive applications for reed-valves are generally rare, reed-valves are commonly used within the intake systems of two-stroke engines, such as those employed for chain-saws and motorcycles. Reed-valves generally consist of a support structure, such as a housing, containing an aperture which is opened and closed by a resilient member, known as a "reed", attached to the support structure adjacent to the aperture. The support structure is situated within a duct or wall between two chambers, with the aperture serving as the passage therebetween. Reed-valves are operated by the flow of the air/fuel mixture through the passage containing the reed-valve. Under certain operating conditions, the particular fluid serves to force the reed against the support structure and thereby close the aperture. Under reverse conditions, the fluid serves to force the reed away from the aperture to permit flow through the aperture. For example, when used in a fuel system of an internal combustion engine, the vacuum created within a combustion chamber of the engine deflects the reed away from the aperture to permit the air/fuel mixture to enter the combustion chamber. In engine applications such as fuel intake systems, the reed must not only be resistant to thermal and chemical attack from the fluids being controlled, but must also have sufficient structural integrity to withstand numerous and rapid reciprocation. In terms of stress, the reed experiences a cantilever bending moment when forced away from the aperture. When forced against the support structure, the reed is generally deflected at its centre, being supported at its periphery by the support structure. The forces involved can be significant, requiring the reed to be formed from a strong and durable material. In the past, reeds have generally been formed from steel. However, steel reeds have two major disadvantages. The first disadvantage is the high density of steel, which results in a heavy reed with a low natural frequency of vibration. This yields a slower response to flow reversals, and therefore a less effective check-valve. While this disadvantage is applicable to both two-stroke and four-stroke engine applications, it is more serious for four-stroke engines. In two-stroke engines, reed-valves are mounted on a crankcase of the engine. Crankcases provide a larger volume of air, reducing the importance of the reed-valve having a high natural frequency. However, in four-stroke engines, the trapped air volume between a poppet valve of the engine and the associated reed-valve is much smaller, such that fast reed-valve response is needed, requiring the reed-valve to have a higher natural frequency of vibration. The second major disadvantage is that any failure of a steel reed from fatigue or impact will result in fragments of steel being present in the intake system. When ingested by the engine, the steel fragments will cause catastrophic damage to the cylinders and pistons thereof, requiring, at the very least, substantial repairs and more often complete replacement of the engine. In addition, such a failure will typically render the engine inoperable, leaving the vehicle stranded. As a result of these significant shortcomings, polymer composite reeds have recently become common. Polymer composite reeds typically have a fibreglass fabric or weave encased in a thermoset polymer, such as an epoxy resin. As such, polymer composite reeds are significantly less dense than steel reeds. In addition, broken composite reeds can be readily ingested by an engine with no apparent damage to the engine components. As a result, the failure of a composite reed typically will only result in a slightly rough-running engine that is still effectively operable. Furthermore, where a composite reed has failed, only the reed must be replaced instead of the entire engine. JP-A-61 109 977 discloses such a polymer composite reed comprising an epoxy resin base plate reinforced by polyamide resin fibres, the durability of which is improved by coating the surface thereof with an impact-resistant flexible epoxy resin. Another example of such a polymer composite reed is disclosed in JP-A-3 227 207, in which the reed is formed from layers of a woven fabric formed in flat-weaving from reinforcing fibres used as warp fibres, the layers of woven fabric being superimposed upon one another and then being bonded to one another by heating under pressure to form the reed. Conventionally, a fibreglass mesh (110) that is used is in the form of a "plain-weave", which is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. "Plain-weave" is defined as a fabric in which each strand, composed of hundreds of individual fibreglass filaments which are twisted or plied together, passes over and under successive transverse strands, one strand at a time, in an alternating fashion. As can be seen in Figure 1, the appearance of a plain-weave fabric 110 is a repetitive pattern of alternating strands. In the plan view illustrated in Figure 1 and cross-sectionally in Figure 2, it can be seen that each visible strand running in one direction (such as strands 114) is "surrounded" by strands 116 running in the transverse direction. Regions 118 denote epoxy resin used to encase the fibreglass mesh 110. Plain-weave fabrics are typically manufactured with a balanced construction, wherein the number and size of the strands running in one direction are approximately the same as those strands running in the transverse direction. This balanced construction in the plain-weave fabric yields a final composite material which has approximately equal mechanical properties in both directions of the weave. Conventionally, the suitability of a particular polymer composite material for a composite reed is evaluated in terms of its "flexural modulus." Typically, a composite reed will be tested by flexing a test specimen at its centre whilst it is being supported at two peripheral points, such as the test method described in ASTM D-790. The flexural modulus indicates the stress-versus-strain relationship of the polymer composite reed material, which serves as an indication of the ability of the reed to open and close under the pressure-loading found in its working environment. With renewed interest in reed-valve applications for two-stroke and four-stroke engines in the automotive industry, reed-valves are now being required to last significantly longer, corresponding to the typical minimum 100,000 mile durability requirement that U.S. manufacturers impose for automobiles. As a result, reed-valves used in automotive applications must survive many more cycles of operation than previously required in conventional applications such as motorcycles and chain saws. Thus, whilst suitable for many applications, current polymer composite reeds formed from fibreglass-reinforced thermoset materials tend to be inadequate for automotive applications. A primary reason for this is the inadequate chemical resistance of conventional thermoset composite reeds to automotive fuels, especially methanol and gasoline blends. Another reason is the limited fracture toughness available from thermoset materials. The flexural modulus of fibreglass-reinforced thermoset reeds is about 20 to about 28 GPa for a typical thickness of about 0.4 millimetres. Whilst such reeds are suitable for conventional applications such as those within the motorcycle industry, they tend to be inadequate for automotive applications which require lighter and faster-responding reeds. A lighter reed could be obtained if the thickness of the reed were reduced. However, the natural frequency of vibration of a reed, by which the speed of closing is usually rated, is proportional to its thickness according to the equation: f n = kt(E/p) 1/2 where f n is natural frequency, k is a constant for a fixed length cantilevered beam, t is the thickness of the reed, E is the flexural modulus and p is the reed density. As a result, any reduction in thickness will result in a slower-responding reed. In order to compensate for any reduction in thickness, there must be a corresponding increase in the flexural modulus of the reed. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a reed for a reed valve which is suitable for automotive applications in terms of performance capability as defined by the thickness and flexural modulus of the reed, and in terms of structural integrity as defined by the fracture toughness of the material of the reed, so as to be able to survive numerous engine cycles of operation without failure. A reed for a reed-valve according to the present invention is characterised by the features specified in the characterising portion of claim 1. It is an object of this invention to provide a reed for a reed-valve wherein the reed is sufficiently resistant to chemical and thermal attack so as to operate within an internal combustion engine and wherein the reed has mechanical properties which make it suitable for automotive applications. It is a further object of this invention that such a reed be reinforced with a fabric whose weave enhances the flexural modulus in one direction of the reed so as to enhance the mechanical properties of the reed in that direction. It is another object of this invention that such a reed be formed from materials which promote fracture toughness of the reed so as to promote long life of the reed within the environment of an automotive internal combustion engine. It is still another object of this invention that the improved flexural modulus of such a reed permits the reed to be made thinner, so as to provide a lighter reed and a faster-responding reed valve. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, these and other objects and advantages are accomplished as follows. According to the present invention, there is provided a reed for use within a reed-valve which is suitable for automotive internal combustion engine applications. The reed includes one, and more preferably two, reinforcing fabrics which are bonded to, and more preferably, encased within, a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material which is particularly resistant to the chemical and thermal environment found within an automotive internal combustion engine. Being formed from a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material, the reed exhibits better fracture toughness than reeds formed from thermoset polymeric materials and is more readily able to survive numerous cycles of operation required by an automotive engine application. The weave of the fabric differs from that known in the prior art and has the effect of enhancing the flexural modulus of the reed in one direction of the weave. The fabric has a first set of strands which extend substantially parallel to each other and a second set of strands which also extend substantially parallel to each other but are not parallel to the first set of strands. Preferably, the second set of strands are substantially perpendicular to the first set of strands. The first and second sets of strands are interwoven with each other such that each strand of the first set passes over a first predetermined number of strands of the second set, and then under a second predetermined number of strands of the second set, in a repetitive manner. The ratio of the first predetermined number to the second predetermined number, i.e., the number of the strands in the second set which are passed over to the number of the strands in the second set which are passed under by a strand from the first set, is greater than one and more preferably about seven. With the preferred thermoplastics-coated reed reinforced by such a fabric, the reed is characterised by having, in the plane of the reed, a greater flexural modulus in a direction parallel to the first set of strands than in a direction parallel to the second set of strands. By orienting the reed so that the first set of strands are flexed in a cantilever-type manner during the operation of the reed, the reed is able to take advantage of the improved mechanical properties resulting from the higher flexural modulus associated with the first set of strands. Because the reed does not flex substantially in the transverse direction to the first set of strands, the lower flexural modulus of the reed in the transverse direction, i.e., in the direction of the second set of strands, is acceptable during usage. A significant advantage of this invention is that such a reed is suitable for automotive applications in terms of structural integrity as defined by the flexural modulus of the reed and its fracture toughness. The use of a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material as the material for the reed provides a reed which is particularly capable of surviving numerous engine cycles of operation without failure. The weave used to form the reinforcing fabric of the reed enhances the mechanical properties of the reed, and more specifically, the flexural modulus of the reed, in one direction. By orienting the reed to flex in this direction, the reed can be formed so as to be lighter and thinner, resulting in a faster-responding reed valve. Another significant advantage of this invention is that the semi-crystalline thermoplastic material from which the reed is made enables the reed to be highly resistant to chemical and thermal attack, such as that associated with operating within an internal combustion engine. Semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials also exhibit fracture toughness superior to that of conventionally-used thermoset materials, promoting long life of the reed within the environment of an automotive internal combustion engine. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a plain-weave reed of the type known in the prior art; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing one fabric layer of the plain-weave reed; Figure 3 shows a plan view of an eight-harness satin-weave fabric in accordance with this invention; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of the eight-harness satin-weave fabric of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a two-ply reed formed in accordance with this invention; Figure 6 is a magnified plan view of a portion of the reed of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6. A polymer composite reed for a reed-valve is provided wherein the reed has improved mechanical properties as a result of its construction and is highly resistant to chemical and thermal attack. The improved mechanical properties of the reed are primarily due to the reed being reinforced with two plies of fabric having a harness satin-weave, which provides the reed with a flexural modulus that is substantially greater in one direction of the reed. The chemical and thermal properties are primarily due to a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material from which the reed is formed. In addition, the thermoplastic material enhances the fracture toughness of the reed to improve the durability of the reed. As a result, the reed is highly suitable for applications requiring long life under high-speed, cyclic loading, such as that found in two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines for the automobile industry. Illustrated in Figure 1 is an enlarged portion of a conventional plain-weave fabric for a composite polymer reed 110 known in the prior art. Note that Figure 2 shows a single fabric layer in cross-section, though it is conventional to use between about two and about six fabric layers in a conventional composite reed. The reed 110 is generally a thermoset material formed around a plain-weave fabric which serves as a reinforcement. The fabric consists of a first set of strands 114 running in a "warp" direction and a second set of strands 116 running perpendicular to the warp strands 114 in a "weft" direction. The nomenclature used here is conventional in the art and generally identifies the orientation of the strands relative to the weaving process. The warp strands 114 are those that, during the weaving of the fabric, are fed continuously through the weaving machine in the direction of the rotation of the machine. The weft strands 116 run transverse to the warp strands 114 and may be considered to extend width-wise across the fabric as it is being made. As illustrated, the plain-weave fabric is characterised by the warp and weft strands 114 and 116 being woven together so that the strands 114 and 116 successively pass over and under each other, one strand at a time, in an alternating fashion. When manufactured with a balanced construction, wherein the number and size of the warp strands 114 are approximately the same as that of the weft strands 116, the reed 110 will have approximately equal mechanical properties in both directions of the fabric, i.e., in the directions parallel to the warp and weft strands 114 and 116. The typical material from which the strands 114 and 116 are made is a fibreglass yarn. Most often, the specific fibreglass formulation used is electrical, or "E", glass. E-glass is characterised by a composition having about 52 to about 56 weight percent silicon dioxide, about 16 to about 25 weight percent calcium dioxide, about 12 to about 16 weight percent aluminium oxide, about 8 to about 13 weight percent boron oxide, up to about 1 weight percent sodium and potassium oxide, and up to about 6 weight percent magnesium oxide. Alternatively, high strength or "S" glass yarns are also available, but are typically unnecessary for reed-valve applications. S-glass is characterised by a composition having about 64 to about 66 weight percent silicon dioxide, about 24 to about 26 weight percent aluminium oxide, and about 9 to about 11 weight percent magnesium oxide. Each strand 114 and 116 contains hundreds of individual fibreglass filaments which are twisted or plied together. The above is conventional, and therefore well known, in the art. Accordingly, the type of yarn, the number of individual filaments, and the filament diameter are factors which are conventionally considered when making a reinforcing fabric for a reed 110 and are not the focus of this invention. In the conventional reed 110, a thermoset material, such as an epoxy resin, serves as the matrix material 118 in which the fabric is encased. The matrix material 118 must be sufficiently rigid and strong to contribute these necessary properties to the reed 110. In addition, to be suitable for use in automotive internal combustion engines, the matrix material 118 must be able to withstand the high temperatures and the chemically-hostile conditions associated with the working environment of an internal combustion engine. The thermoset materials conventionally used in the prior art are not sufficiently resistant to chemical and thermal attack for automotive applications. In addition, thermoset materials have mechanical properties, such as strength and dimensional stability, which are generally sufficient for such applications as small two-stroke engines for motorcycles and chain saws. However, thermoset materials are inferior to thermoplastic materials in terms of fracture toughness. Accordingly, thermoset materials are less suitable for applications which demand a longer service life, such as that required for engines in the automobile industry. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, a fabric 12 is shown for use in a reed 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention. The reed 10 of this invention is shown in Figure 5 and incorporates the fabric 12 for reinforcement. Similar to the conventional reed 110, the fabric 12 of this invention has a number of warp strands 14, running in the longitudinal direction of the reed 10, and a number of weft strands 16, running in a transverse direction of the reed 10. In contrast to the prior art, and according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the warp strands 14 pass under one weft strand 16 whilst passing over several weft strands 16, in a repetitive manner. Such a weave is known in the art as a harness satin-weave. The preferred weave illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is an eight-harness satin-weave, designated as such because each warp strand 14 passes over seven weft strands 16 and under one weft stand 16, in a repetitive manner. However, the weave could foreseeably be altered for particular applications which require lesser or greater mechanical properties, which can be attributed to the type of weave. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is not specifically limited to a reed incorporating an eight-harness satin-weave fabric. In addition, it is foreseeable that the relative orientation of the warp and weft strands could be modified during weaving of the fibres, so as to be perpendicular to that shown in the accompanying figures. Therefore, the warp and weft strands would become the weft and warp strands accordingly. As can be seen in Figure 3, the eight-harness satin-weave pattern is continuous over the entire fabric 12. As a result, the surface of the fabric 12 seen in Figure 3 is visibly dominated by the warp strands 14. Conversely, the opposite side of the fabric 12 is visibly dominated by the weft strands 16. As one would expect, tensional stresses imposed length-wise along a strand 14 or 16 are more readily withstood by the strand than stresses imposed transverse to the length of the strand. With respect to the surface seen in Figure 3, tensional stresses at this surface of the fabric 12 will be more readily sustained if imposed in the direction of the warp strands 14 rather than in the direction of the weft strands 16. In contrast, with respect to the surface opposite that seen in Figure 3, tensional stresses at this surface will be more readily sustained if imposed in the direction of the weft strands 16 rather than in the direction of the warp strands 14. In effect, a harness satin-weave creates an asymmetrical construction in terms of the load-carrying ability of a reed formed therefrom. In terms of bending stresses of a composite beam, it is well known that the outermost fibres on one side sustain the highest tensional loading and the outermost fibres on the opposite side sustain the highest compressional loading when the composite beam is bent. As a result, the flexural modulus of a composite beam is primarily determined by the ability of the fibres at the outermost surfaces of the composite beam to withstand tensional loading of the beam. Where the composite beam is composed of long fibres, the flexural modulus of the beam is optimised if the tensional loading in the fibres is imposed along their longitudinal length, as opposed to being imposed transverse to their length. From the above statement, the advantage of placing two of the composite woven fabrics 12 back-to-back to provide a two-ply reinforcement to the reed 10 can be appreciated for purposes of optimising the flexural modulus, and therefore the mechanical properties, of the reed 10 for bending in a particular manner. Specifically, by placing the surfaces of the fabrics 12 dominated by the weft strands 16 against each other and bonding the fabrics 12 together to form a two-ply composite fabric, the surfaces dominated by the warp strands 14 will constitute the outermost fibres of both sides of the composite fabric. This orientation is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, which show, in plan and cross-sectional views, respectively, an enlarged fragment 20 of the reed 10 shown in Figure 5. Tensional stress imposed on the outer fibres of the composite fabric and in the primary direction of the reed 10, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the warp strands 14 and transverse to the weft strands 16, are readily withstood by the warp strands 14. This is the condition that occurs when a bending load is imposed on the reed 10 in a manner that imposes a "cantilever" load relative to the warp strands 14, such that the warp strands 14 are under a tensional load. Under these conditions, little stress (theoretically, no stress) will be imposed in the secondary direction of the reed 10, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the weft strands 16 and the transverse direction of the warp strands 14. To take advantage of the physical properties provided by the above orientation, the reed 10 shown in Figure 5 contains warp strands 14 which are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the reed 10, i.e., transverse to a flange 22 which may conventionally be used to secure the reed 10 to a reed valve (not shown). As a result, the weft strands 16 are oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction of the reed 10 and parallel to the flange 22. Because the reed 10 is limited to pivoting about the flange 22 during the operation of the reed-valve, the warp strands 14 will alternately be placed in tension or compression (corresponding to which side of the reed 10 the warp strands 14 are located), depending on whether the reed 10 is permitting or obstructing the passage of fluid through the reed-valve. In contrast, the weft strands 16, located along the neutral axis of the reed 10, will never encounter a significant tensional load under normal operating conditions. As illustrated by the reed fragment 20 of Figures 6 and 7, the reed 10 is primarily formed as a polymer matrix material 18 which is reinforced with the two back-to-back fabrics 12. The preferred matrix material 18 is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material, and more specifically, either poly(aryl)etheretherketone (PEEK), poly(aryl)etherketoneketone (PEKK), or polyphenylene sulphide (PPS). These materials are known in the art and available from various commercial sources. Furthermore, these semi-crystalline materials, and particularly the PEEK and PEKK materials, are characterised as exhibiting fracture toughness superior to that of thermoset materials. As a result, the reed 10 is significantly more durable than reeds of the prior art. Because of the automotive applications specifically foreseen for the reed 10 of this invention, durability is a key factor. Typically, a reed-valve which is to be used in a two-stroke or four-stroke engine for an automobile must be capable of passing a durability test, which is generally a 100,000 mile minimum requirement in the U.S. automobile industry. The flexural modulus of conventional reeds having the plain-weave construction shown in Figure 1 is typically about 20 to about 28 GPa, while the flexural modulus in the primary direction of the reed 10 of this invention has been found to be in excess of 35 GPa. In comparison, the flexural modulus in the secondary direction of the reed 10 is more typically about 12 GPa, due to the asymmetrical construction of the eight-harness satin-weave fabric 12. However, as noted above, the weft strands 16 of the reed 10 will not see any significant tensional loads during normal operation of the reed 10. To the contrary, it is the intent of this invention that essentially all of the tensional loading due to the bending of the reed 10 should be imposed on the warp strands 14. The reed 10 of this invention can be formed by any suitable method which is conventional or otherwise known or practical in the art. Generally, the first step will be to weave the fabric 12 using known weaving machines according to known processing techniques. The strands 14 and 16 may be of any suitable material, with the previously described E-glass being suitable for most applications. In addition, the number of individual filaments and the diameter of the filaments can be selected according to the specific needs of an application. Satisfactory results have been obtained with strands 14 and 16 being formed from ECDE 75 1/0, which is E-glass continuous filaments, each filament having a diameter of about 6 micrometres, with about 816 filaments per strand. The preferred application methods for encasing two layers of the fabric 12 within the thermoplastic matrix 18 include first applying molten thermoplastic material directly to the two layers of fabric 12 or providing the thermoplastic material as a fine powder and electrostatically depositing this thermoplastic powder onto the layers of the fabric 12. The preferred process is to use known fluidized bed techniques to electrostatically deposit the thermoplastic powder onto the fabric 12. Fluidized bed techniques are preferred in that a more uniform coating of the thermoplastic material can typically be applied to the fabric 12 under mass-production conditions. The fabric 12 is then heated to a temperature above the melt temperature of the thermoplastic material -- about 360°C for the PEEK and PEKK materials, and about 290°C for the PPS materials -- for a duration sufficient to adhere the thermoplastic powder to the strands 14 and 16. Two coated layers of fabric 12 are then placed back-to-back, as illustrated in Figure 7, and placed within a suitable mould which is sized to accommodate the two layers of fabric 12 and the desired thickness of the reeds 10 formed from the two layers of fabric 12. A preferred thickness for the reed 10 which is suitable to provide sufficient flexibility and strength is about 0.33 mm (0.013 inch) to about 0.51 mm (0.020 inch), and more preferably about 0.38 mm (0.015 inch). The two layers of fabric 12 and the thermoplastic coatings thereon are then heated to a temperature of about 350°C to about 400°C for the PEEK and PEKK materials, or about 280°C to about 310°C for the PPS material, after which the two layers of fabric 12 are pressed together under a pressure of about 689.5 kPa (100 psi) to about 1378.9 kPa (200 psi) to melt and distribute the thermoplastic material throughout the two layers of fabric 12 to form the polymer matrix 18 shown in Figure 7. The duration of the heating and pressing operation will vary with the mass of material being moulded, the type of material used for the thermoplastic matrix 18, and the moulding temperatures used. Such processing parameters are well within the scope of one skilled in the art. Reeds 10 can then be die-cut to size and shape from the resulting thermoplastic-reinforced fabric. The shape and size of the reed 10 will vary widely with the particular application. Again, such decisions are well within the scope of one skilled in the art. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the reed 10 roughly has a longitudinal (i.e., perpendicular to the flange 22) length of about 50.8 mm (2.0 inches) and a width of about 43.2 mm (1.7 inches). Whilst the above processing steps will serve as a general guide, other methods to achieve the same results will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is not limited to the particular methods disclosed above which can be used to encase the two layers of fabric 12 within the thermoplastic matrix 18 of the reed 10. From the above, it is apparent that a significant advantage of the reed 10 made according to this invention is that the reed 10 has both a high flexural modulus and a high fracture toughness. Both of these properties are essential for use in automotive applications where the reed 10 is required to sustain flexing loads over a long service life, such as where a two-stroke or four-stroke engine is used to power an automobile. Specifically, the harness satin-weave fabric adopted by the present invention to form the reinforcing fabric 12 of the reed 10 enhances the flexural modulus in the primary direction of the reed 10. As a result, the mechanical properties of the reed 10 are enhanced in the direction which must endure the highest tensional stresses as the reed 10 bends during its operation. As a direct result of improving the flexural modulus of the reed 10, the thickness of the reed 10 can be correspondingly reduced to form a lighter and thinner reed 10, thereby enabling the reed 10 to respond more quickly. In the environment of an intake system for an automotive engine, a faster responding reed-valve will close more quickly in response to a reversal in the direction of airflow. The more quickly the reed-valve closes, the more air is trapped for the engine to consume in combustion, thereby enhancing engine performance. Another significant advantage of this invention is that the preferred semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials are highly resistant to the hostile chemical and thermal environment of an internal combustion engine. Specifically, the preferred semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials, and in particular the PEEK and PEKK materials, are highly resistant to methanol/gasoline blends. In contrast, a significant shortcoming of the epoxy resin-reinforced reeds of the prior art was the lack of resistance to such fuel blends. In addition, the preferred semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials are characterised as having a fracture toughness which is superior to that of the thermoset materials conventionally used for reeds. As a result, the reed 10 is particularly capable of surviving numerous engine cycles of operation without failure. In contrast, similarly-sized reeds formed from thermoset materials will not exhibit comparable durability and can be expected to fail prior to completing a 161,000 km (100,000 mile) durability test typically required in the U.S. automobile industry. It is believed that the disclosure of this invention could be extended to numerous applications outside of the automotive industry. Practically speaking, the disclosure of this invention could be employed to produce a thin sheet, wafer, disc or board which must be flexural strong and rigid to perform satisfactorily. Therefore, whilst the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art; for example, by modifying the processing parameters such as the temperatures or durations employed; by substituting appropriate materials for the strands 14 and 16; by increasing the number of layers of fabric 12 encased in the thermoplastic matrix 18; or by utilising different numbered harness satin-weaves, such as a seven or nine-harness satin-weave or even greater extremes such as three to twelve-harness satin-weaves, in the fabric. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

Claims: A composite reed (10) for a reed-valve, said reed (10) comprising a binding material (18) and a fabric (12) bonded with said binding material (18), which fabric comprises a first plurality of strands (14) extending substantially parallel to each other; and a second plurality of strands (16) extending substantially parallel to each other and non-parallel to said first plurality of strands (14), characterised in that said first and second plurality of strands (14,16) are interwoven with each other such that each strand (14) of said first plurality of strands (14) first passes over a first predetermined number of said second plurality of strands (16) and then under a second predetermined number of said second plurality of strands (16) in a repetitive manner, said first predetermined number being greater than said second predetermined number so as to expose substantially more of said first plurality of strands (14) on a first side of each of said fabric layers and substantially more of said second plurality of strands (16) on an oppositely disposed second side of said fabric; whereby the fabric (12) has, in the plane of said first side thereof, a greater flexural modulus in a direction extending parallel to the direction of said first plurality of strands (14) than in a direction extending parallel to the direction of said second plurality of strands (16). A reed (10) according to claim 1, in which said second strands (16) extend substantially perpendicular in direction to said first strands (14). A reed (10) according to claim 1, in which said binding material (18) is a polymer matrix and substantially encases said fabric (12). A reed (10) according to claim 1, in which said first predetermined number is seven and said second predetermined number is one. A reed (10) according to claim 1, in which said binding material (18) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material. A reed (10) according to claim 1, in which the reed (10) further comprises a second fabric (12) bonded to said first fabric (12) by said binding material (18) so as to be substantially parallel to said first fabric (12), and so that a first surface of said first fabric (12) is oppositely disposed from a first surface of said second fabric (12), wherein substantially more of said first strands (14) are exposed on each of said first surfaces of said first fabric (12) and said second fabric (12) than of said second strands (16). A reed (10) according to claim 6, in which said second fabric (12) is substantially encased in said binding material (18). A composite reed (10) for a reed valve suitable for use in an internal combustion engine, the composite reed (10) comprising a planar member formed from a polymer matrix (18) reinforced with a fabric (12) according to the characterising portion of claim 1, whereby the planar member comprises first and second layers of fabric (12) bonded within said polymer matrix (18) so as to reinforce said planar member, with said first layer of fabric (12) being disposed substantially parallel to said second layer of fabric (12). A composite reed (10) according to claim 8, in which said first and second layers of fabric (12) are oriented relative to one another so that said first sides of said first and second layers of fabric (12) face away from each other whilst said second sides of said first and second layers of fabric (12) face each other within said polymer matrix (18), and so that the composite reed (10) has, in the plane of the composite reed (10), a greater flexural modulus in a direction parallel to said first plurality of strands (14) in each fabric layer than in a direction parallel to said second plurality of strands (16) in each fabric layer. A composite reed (10) according to claim 8, in which said first predetermined number is seven and said second predetermined number is one. A composite reed (10) according to claim 8, in which said polymer matrix (18) is formed from a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material. A composite reed (10) according to claim 8, in which said semi-crystalline thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of a poly(aryl)etheretherketone, a poly(aryl)etherketoneketone, and polyphenylene sulphide. A composite reed (10) according to claim 8, in which said strands (14,16) are formed from fibreglass filaments.

Inventors: OWENS JOHN NEAL, OWENS, JOHN NEAL
Applicants: GEN MOTORS CORP, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F01L3
IPC codes: F02B75, F01L3, F16K15, F02B33, B32B27