Appeal No. 2006-0772
Application No. 09/731,945
(c) vacuum debulking the tackified preform;
(d) double bagging the debulked preform with an inner bag
and outer bag using high elongation, low modulus nylon
bagging films sufficient to control bag relaxation and
to improve vacuum integrity while minimizing bag
wrinkles;
(e) enclosing an open weave flow control media between the
inner bag and the debulked preform to control the flow
front during resin infusion, the flow media having
permeability to control the infusion flow and to create
flow resistance by using fill fibers to act as weirs to
an infusing resin, wherein the flow media also is able
to withstand exposure to temperatures up to about
600°F, is chemically inert, and is sufficiently stiff
and pliable to eliminate markoff on the bag side of the
laminate; and
(f) infusing resin into the debulked preform through the
flow media using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer
molding process using a series of vacuum ports spaced
around the perform.
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Stoeberl 4,120,632 Oct. 17, 1978
Johnson 4,132,755 Jan. 02, 1979
Shepherd 5,129,813 July 14, 1992
Imanara et al. (Imanara) 5,364,584 Nov. 15, 1994
White et al. (White) 5,427,725 June 27, 1995
McClure et al. (McClure) 6,090,335 July 18, 2000
Jean et al. (EP '438) 0 816 438 A2 July 1, 1998
(European Patent Application)
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to a double vacuum
bag molding process for infusing resin into a preform. The
-2-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007