Fiber Products, Prepregs, Composites and Method of Producing Same

Abstract

The present invention is to provide methods to increase composite interlaminate strength and interface strength, and make 3D fibers products, prepregs and composites, by using trans-interface and/or trans-fiber products such as trans-plies, strands and/or yarns fastening components selected from the group comprising of hooks and loops (velcro), hooks and hooks, zipper heads, fish hook shape hooks, staples, arrow heads, forks and mushroom heads. One ply of fibers has one or multiple of the above fasteners on at least one side. Lay-up the plies with said fastening components on its one or two sides to obtain a 3D fiber products with those fastening components locked together. The plies can be separated if need re-lay-up. A thread or a yarn have the fastening components around 0-360 degree on its surface. Lay the threads together or intercross each other to get a 3D fiber products. In those 3D fiber products, two parts of the fastening components lock each other if they meet and engage. A 3D composite can be made using the 3D fiber products.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to composites, fiber products, 3 dimension (3D) fibers, 3D fabrics, 3D preforms, 3D prepregs and 3D composites and methods to make them using textile industry technologies, non-weaving technologies, hook and loop technologies, barbed wire and thread technologies, molding and casting technologies and nano-fiber technologies, with the objects to increase composite inter-ply strength, interface strength, mechanical strength, interlaminate strength, fatigue durability, impact resistance, usage life, and their manufacturability, and to reduce composite manufacturing cost

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Composites comprise of at least two materials. Composites usually are weak at interface and interlamination area. For example, fiber composite materials have been used in industries such as aerospace, automobile, ship, vehicle tire, construction, bridge, wind energy and sports over the past five decades. They are made by lying up fiber products ply by ply, filament by filament, and bonding the fiber products with plastics, rubber, metal, non-metal material. Tensile strength of the fibers within a ply can be higher than 3000 MPa, much stronger than steel. However, the strength of the matrix such as plastics between plys bonding the fibers is about 100 MPa, even weaker than Aluminum. The matrix such as plastic strength is only about 1/30 of the fiber strength. It is pretty hard and expensive to increase the matrix strength by chemical methods such as making toughened resin. Therefore, the low interlaminate strength and low interface strength of composites often lead to failures such as delamination and debonding under various stresses, loadings, especially under impact and compression fatigue loadings on a composite structure.

Therefore the utilization of composite has been limited by its low interlaminar fracture toughness and interface strength. Method to alleviate these problems is to improve delamination resistance and interface strength by trans-laminate and trans-interface reinforcements such as stitching, 3D weaving, 3D knitting, 3D braid. Those technologies need complicated machines and manufacturing processes. Those approaches significantly reduce the flexibility and efficiency of the composite whole production cycles from design to manufacturing. So ply-by-ply lay-up and filament wrapping are still major processes in composite industry. A ply in this patent means one layer, or one strand, yarn, filament or thread. As to interface, people still focus on improving interface strength by increasing the adhesiveness of two materials, but not by trans-interface reinforcements. Most composites are weak at interface where two materials meet because there are no trans-interface or cross-interface reinforcements.

Reference cited
2717437	Sep. 13, 1955	G. De Mestral
4622253	Nov. 11, 1984	Harry Levy
5736222	Apr. 7, 1998	James J. Childress
6265333	Jul. 24, 2001	Yuris A. Dzenis
6645610	Nov. 11, 2003	Carl Andrew Reis, et el.

After fiberglass appeared in 1940s, lightweight fibers and plastic composites have been used in many industries. Fiber composites were further boosted by carbon fibers since 1970s. However so far those industries have not yet taken advantage of trans-laminate and trans-interface fasteners revealed here in this patent such as hook and loop Velcro technology available in 1955 to increase composite interlamination and interface strength.

George De Mestral invented “hook and loop fastener” Velcro in 1950s. This invention has providing society with a practical and effective device for fastening fabrics and other materials. Until now, Velcro fasteners usually are made on only one side of fabric strip. Two Velcro strips are pressed to fastened together as a connector. On his famed walk in the woods, De Mestral observed that his wool socks and jacket and his dog's fur were covered with burrs. Upon returning home he examined the burrs under a microscope and saw that their barbed, hook-like seed pods meshed with the looped fibers in his clothes. He attempted to simulate the manner with which the burrs clung to his fabric with a synthetic material. By trial and error, he demonstrated that most regular fibers can not act as hooks at the burr side. Eventually de Mestral realized that nylon when sewn under infrared light, formed tough hooks for the burr side of the fastener. It is interesting that no one in last 50 years realizes that if the fasteners such as hook and loop are on both side of fiber ply can significantly increase interlamination and interface strength of composites.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,222 to James J. Childress (1998) discloses laminate composites are reinforced by Z-pin method; however this method is pretty complicate. Only small areas such as connection areas of composite are using it. U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,333 to Dzenis shows smaller diameter reinforcement fibers at one or more ply interface provides improved interlaminate toughness, strength, and delamination resistance without substantial reduction of in-plane properties. Those smaller diameter reinforcement fibers do not align in the desire direction and most of their potential is still buried. U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,610 to Reis and Wong illustrates a Z-peel sheet technology. It is for improving composite surface bonding characteristics, but not the interlaminate strength.

The present invention provides low cost technologies to increase composite inter-ply strength and interface strength by using textile industry technologies, non-weaving technologies, hook and loop technologies, molding, casting and deposition technologies, and nano-fiber technologies to make fasteners cross interfaces and interlaminates. Those technologies disclosed in this patent will also significantly increase fatigue durability, impact resistance and manufacturability of composites. Those low cost composite technologies are compatible to 2D manufacturing process and reduce composite manufacturing cost.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is to provide methods to increase composite interlaminate strength and interface strength, and make 3 dimension (3D) fiber products, 3D fabrics, 3D preforms, 3D prepregs and 3D composites, by using trans-interface and trans-fiber products such as trans-plies, trans-strands, trans-thread and/or trans-yarns fastening components selected from the group comprising of hooks and loops (velcro), hooks and hooks, zipper heads, fish hook shape hooks, arrow heads, anchors, staples, chain hooks, chain loops, forks, knots, teeth, screws, coils, and mushroom heads. Fiber products are selected from the group comprising of fiber, sheet, ply, laminate, carpet, strip, belt, blanket, net, mat, pad, mess, cushion, thread, yarn, turf, filament, sandwich and block. One fiber product has one or multiple kinds of the above fastening components on its at least one side. Those fasteners will increase composite interlaminate strength and interface strength. For example, lay-up together the fiber product with the fastening components on its at least one side to obtain 3D fiber products with those fastening components locked together. The one piece of fiber product can be moved away if need re-lay-up. A fiber or a thread has the fastening components around 0-360 degree on its surface. Lay the fibers and yarns with fastening components together or intercross each other to get a 3D fiber product. In those fiber products, two parts of the fastening components will lock each other if they meet and engage. A stronger interface and interlaminate strength composite structure can be made by using the 3D fiber products in some processes such as resin infusing, resin film infusing, resin protrusion, casting, deposition, flocking or RTM. The fastening components can be arranged in pattern arrays to increase strength against specified loads.

One fiber products with the fasteners on its at least one side is impregnated with resin to get a piece of prepreg of the fiber product with the fasteners. Lay and press the prepregs together to any desired thickness and shape, fastening components on the prepregs will lock each other if they meet and engage. In a cure process, the resin may soften or meld, and the fastening components will further interlock each other. So a 3D composite structure is made by the said 3D prepregs. Wrap the thread prepregs and get a 3D composite too.

The fastening components selected from the group comprising of hooks and loops (velcro), hooks and hooks, zipper heads, fish hook shape hooks, arrow head hooks, staples, forks, chain hooks, narrow loop hooks, anchors, chain loops, knots, teeth and mushroom head can be made onto weaved or no-weaved fiber sheet, (strands, yarns and threads by textile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies, and by non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on fibers or sheets. The fastening components can bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fibers or sheets.

The two parts of fastening components may have acute angles to their base sheet or fibers. The acute angle may let the two part fastening components engage like sharp teeth to increase their locking strength. These fastening components may just partially or fully in matrix to increase the interface when two matrix meet with or without fiber products in matrix.

The fastening components can be made by all kind of suitable materials including nano fibers, strands and filaments, nanotubes, nano forks, threads, wires, nets, tubes, strips, metals, non-metal materials, polymer, carbon fiber, glass fiber, polymer fiber, ceramic fibers, and nano arrows.

This 3D fiber technology could be used in many industries including rubber, building materials, composites and plastic industries.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a view of a sheet of fibers with hook, loop and other fastening components on its both sides.

FIG. 2 is a view of the composite made by the fiber sheets with fastening components. Several of sheets make the preform and composite. The trans-layer fastening components make a 3D composite.

FIG. 3 is a view of a 3D prepreg sheet with hook, loop and other fastening components on its both sides.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the 3D prepreg.

FIG. 5 is a view of using mold to control the hook, loop and fastening fibers shape and direction, angle, using chemical air to obtain the shape and angle and direction of the fastening fibers.

FIG. 6 a view of trans-layer hook and loop fibers.

FIG. 7 shows using laser to cut the loop to get hook.

FIG. 8 shows using laser and heat iron to make the hooks.

FIG. 9 shows the variety of the hooks, several fibers are yarned and bonded together by glue to make the hooks stiffer.

FIG. 10 shows the variety of the loops.

FIG. 11 is a transparent view of a block of composite made by 3D forks and branches.

FIG. 12 shows filaments have hook and loops and other fastening components.

FIG. 13 shows a pressure bottle made by the filaments with fastening components.

FIG. 14 shows a vest made by the 3D composites.

FIG. 15 shows a helmet made by 3D composites.

FIG. 16 shows a stem fiber has 3 dimension branches and forks.

FIG. 17 shows the networking of the 3D branches and forks.

FIG. 18 shows the 3D branch, hook directions in a composite.

FIG. 19 shows the vertical trans-layer and interlayer fibers have acute angles with their long direction. The acute angle vertical fibers will bite each other and engage. This locking will have stronger strength against shear load and tear load.

FIG. 20 is a view of a composite may have acute hook at different direction.

FIG. 21 shows the acute angle hook and loop interlock between fiber layers.

FIG. 22 shows the engagement of hook and hook, hook and loop.

FIG. 23 shows using a spiral screw cylinder to make the hooks, loops and fibers in the curves of spiral spur gear.

FIG. 24 shows using a needle to bring hook and loop fibers trans-layer.

FIG. 25 shows using air blow, air jet, or water jet to shoot hook and loop fibers trans-layer and stay on the layer.

FIG. 26 shows the loop on a woven towel.

FIG. 27 shows small loops are formed on the surface of the fabric by the use of complex yarns

FIG. 28 shows patterned knitted fabric loops.

FIG. 29 shows other side of the fabric of FIG. 28. Cutting the loops and get hooks.

FIG. 30 shows compressing the hook and loop fabric on a net.

FIG. 31 shows the hook and loop pattern made by embroidery.

FIG. 32 shows loops on a bath towel.

FIG. 33 a bath towel with loops.

FIG. 34 shows cutting the fiber and get the hooks.

FIG. 35 shows the fibers and hooks by napping a yarn.

FIG. 36 shows hooks and loop connect blankets in the transverse direction.

FIG. 37 shows fiber strands are combined with fine simple yarns.

FIG. 38 show stitch and knit make the loops.

FIG. 39 show stitch and knit make the loops.

FIG. 40 shows the fastening components can in belt areas on the sheets.

FIG. 41 shows the fastening components can in belt areas on the sheets.

FIG. 42 illustrates the carbon nanotubes may vary diameter along length.

FIG. 43 shows adhesive or coating materials hold a bunch of fiber hooks together.

FIG. 44 shows a group fiber loops on a sheet.

FIG. 45 shows using a flocking process and modified flocking process to prepare vertical short fibers on fiber sheet or other substance surface.

FIG. 46 shows a flocking application by the electrostatic method.

FIG. 47A shows the fiber sheet net and adhesive net film with a designed pattern on them.

FIG. 47B shows the fiber sheet net and adhesive net film with a designed pattern on them.

FIG. 48 shows the adhesive net films 70 may attach to the two sides of fiber sheet 10.

FIG. 49 shows the fiber sheets with flocked vertical fibers, loops and hooks re stacked together.

FIG. 50 shows flocking fibers on adhesive film and having been transferred on fibers.

FIG. 51 shows a net has hooks, loops and mushroom heads on its both sides.

FIG. 52 shows use complex yarn technology to make the yarns.

FIG. 53 shows the yarn may vary its width along its length.

FIG. 54 shows wider yarns make the tube and bottle curve area stronger.

FIG. 55 shows the hook, loop, mushroom head and fastening components attach on yarns just like the barb on a barbed wire.

FIG. 56 shows using stables to make 3D preforms and composites.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a sheet 10 of fibers or film substance has fastener components 29 including hook 11, loop 12, anchor-like hook 13, fish hook 14, fork 17 and 21, big head 18, arrow-like hook 19 and group loop 20 fastening components on both side of the sheet. A hook may have multiple hooks 15 and 16 like a chain of hooks. A hook may comprise several threads in different length 22. The said fastening components 29 may have a pattern, an array on the sheet with specified directions. The said fastening components 29 may be randomly scatter or mix on the sheet.

As shown in FIG. 2, several sheets 10 are laid together layer-by layer to become a fiber product or a preform. The hook and loop, hook and hook and other fastening components engage each other to become the trans-plies and interlayer reinforcements. The top and bottom sheet may have said fastening components on only one side of the sheets.

FIG. 3 shows resin 35 infiltrates the fiber sheet 10 and get a piece of prepreg 33. FIG. 4 is a section view of preperg 33. Some fastening components 38 selected from fasteners 29 a may be above the resin and stand out of the resin, or some fastening components 37 selected from fasteners 29 may stay right under the resin surface. The fastening components 29 may engage each other when the resin becomes liquid during curing. The resin 35 may have low steps 36 where said fastening components 29 are lower than the surrounding resin. Said fastening components 29 may be protected by the higher surrounding resin. The coil like fasteners 31 may lock each other or with hooks.

FIG. 5 is a section view of using mold and chemical air to obtain the hook, loop and fastening component shape, direction, angle and dimension. The fastening components can bond on, glue on, weld on, compress on, wrap, attach, deposition, embed and grow on the fibers.

FIG. 6 is a section view of having said trans-layer fasteners fibers. They can be made by textile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (velcro) technologies, and by non-weaving technologies such as molding, coating, needle penetrating, air blow said fasteners on fibers and air or water jet shoot said fasteners on fibers.

FIG. 7 shows using laser to cut the loops to get hooks. Knife also works to cut the fibers to get hooks. FIG. 8 shows using laser and heat iron to treat the fibers and make the hooks and loops in a specified direction and angle.

Some embodiments of the hooks are illustrated in FIG. 9, such as coil hook a5, screw or teeth hook a24, knot hook a25 and a26. Hook 40 has several fibers bonding together by adhesive 41 to make the hook much stiffer. Hook 42 has several short fibers and several long fiber bonding together. Those hook 11, anchor-like hook 13, fish hook shape hook 14, fork hook 17 and 21, big head 18, arrow-like hook 19 and group loop 20 fastening components are also shown in FIG. 1. A hook may have one or multiple hook types selected from the group of illustrated hook types. Some embodiments of the loops are illustrated in FIG. 10, such as chain loop b2, coil loop b6, fork loop b7, and knot loop b8.

FIG. 11 shows the rod/fiber 45 has branches 46 coming out of itself at any direction. 45 and 46 may be different materials. The fibers 45 are lay together and their branches crosslink together. Therefore a 3D preform is made. The sheets can be tear away if need a re-lay-up. Infiltrated with resin and get a 3D composite.

FIG. 12 shows yarns have hook and loops and other fastening components 29. They can be made by complex yarn technology, by barbed wire entanglement technology and by air blow technology. They may have core yarn 100, tie yarn 101 and effect yarn 102. Air blow, are jet or water jet can shoot the fastening components on the yarns. The yarn is infiltrated by resin 35 to get yarn prepreg.

A bottle is made by wrapping said yarns or yarn prepreg of FIG. 12 or the fiber of FIG. 11 shown in FIG. 13. The yarns may vary width and diameter along length 76. The fastening components will engage during wrapping. So a bottle is made with higher impact resistance 3D composite.

Said 3D composite can make vest and helmet to protect people shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 shows a rod or yarn or fiber 50 has fastening components 29 illustrated here such as branches 51 and forks 53 come out from its stem and stand out to the space around the stem in 3 dimension. Part of the branch 51 may have curve 52 acting as a hook. The part 52 may be the same material as 51 or other material bonded to branch 51. The fork 53 on branch 51 is sup-branches. The sub-branch 53, knot 54 and arrow-like tooth 55 on branch 51 or even stem 50 act as fastening components. Tooth 55 has a sharp face 56.

FIG. 17 shows several rod or thread fibers 50 engage together by their braches 51 and the said fastening components on their branches.

The acute angle 57 of branch to stem will help the engagement of branches to increase the engagement chance and strength. The sup-branch 53 is short enough for penetrating and long enough to act as a hook. A acute angle 57 of the sup-branch will help the penetrating. The acute angle 58 of branch to the interlayer straight distance line 59 will also important to the engagement.

FIG. 18 shows the rod or fibers 50 in fiber sheets. Lay up the fiber sheets together, their fastening components such as the branches 51 engage and interlock together to get 3D preform, prepreg and composite. The branches have back to back, and face to face engagement due to the acute angel 57 direction (branch direction), which increase the strength against sheer and tear load.

FIG. 19 is a section view shows fibers face to face engagement for fastening components. It is acute angle fiber or branch faces another fiber or branch in acute angel.

FIG. 20 shows several fiber sheets lay up together. Some areas of the sheets have the same direction of fastening components such as branch, hook, loop marked by arrow 60. A sheet has different direction of fastening components make the composite has good strength against different direction load.

A face to face lock of fastening components is illustrated in FIG. 21, just like sharp teeth bite together. The fastening components with acute angles are important in control the fastening direction when the fiber sheets are compressed.

FIG. 22 is a section view shows fastening components hooks, loops and fibers are engaged. A face to face lock is just like sharp teeth bite together to have a stronger lock strength. A narrow curved loop 28 may act as a hook.

FIG. 23 shows using a spiral screw cylinder 62 to make the hooks, loops and fibers in the curves of spiral spur gear 63. Those curves help the hooks and loops engagement.

FIG. 24 shows using needles 64 to bring fastening components such as hook and loop fibers trans-layer.

FIG. 25 shows using air blow, air jet, or water jet 65 to shoot fastening components such as hook and loop fibers trans-layer and stay on the layer.

FIG. 26 shows the fastening components such as hooks and loops on a woven towel.

FIG. 27 shows small fastening components such as hook and loops are formed on the surface of the fabric by the use of complex yarns. The fabric sheet can be a net 66.

FIG. 28 shows patterned knitted fastening components such as hooks and loops.

FIG. 29 shows other side of the fabric of FIG. 28. Cutting the loops and get hooks.

FIG. 30 shows compressing fastening components such as the hook and loop fabric on a net 66.

FIG. 31 shows the fastening components such as hook and loop pattern made by embroidery.

FIG. 32 shows fastening components such as loops on a bath towel. Terry cloth, used in toweling, robes, is constructed with uncut loops of yarn on both side of the sheet cloth. These loops are formed by holding the ground wrap yarns under tight tension and leaving the wrap yarns that form the pile in a slack state. The shed is made, picks are inserted, and this is repeated for specified number of picks—usually three—without any beating in. After the picks have been placed, they are battened into position. This causes the slack wrap yarns to be pushed into loops between the picks. While the typical terry cloth has loops on both sides, it is possible to make fabrics by this method with loops on only one side. Hook yarns are recommended to be stiff. And loop yarns are softer. Cut hoops and get hooks.

FIG. 33 a bath towel with fastening components such as loops. Cut hoops and get hooks.

FIG. 34 shows cutting the fiber and get the hooks. The cut can be any position on the fibers to get different curved hooks.

FIG. 35 shows the fibers and fastening components such as hooks and loops by napping a yarn 67.

FIG. 36 shows fastening components such as hooks 11 and loop 12 connect blanket fiber sheets 10 in the transverse direction. The fastening components can go through several plies of fiber sheets and lock together.

FIG. 37 shows fiber strands with fastening components are combined with fine simple yarns.

FIG. 38 and FIG. 39 show stitch and knit make the fastening components such as loops. The fastening components may extend out or stay in the same ply of fiber sheets 10.

FIG. 40 and FIG. 41 shows the fastening components can be in a pattern 81 such as strip areas on the sheets. So the two sheets easily engage in the pattern areas with fastening components.

FIG. 42 illustrates the fastening components such as fibers acting as fasteners or carbon nanotubes may have big head 23 at its ends. The big heads are the end areas or near the end area having big diameters. The big diameter area could be single layer tube and/or multiple tube layers. The big diameter area may locate along the tube like a chain. Two big diameter areas 24 may hold the fastening components such as fastening fibers or tubes on a fabric or a thread. The bigger diameter areas may have one end with sharp edge 25 acting as hook and another end with smooth cure 26 acting as a bullet head for penetrating their fastening counterparts such as loops.

FIG. 43 shows adhesive or coating materials 27 holding a bunch of fastening components such as fiber hooks 22 together to make the hook stronger and stiffer. Materials 27 may cover part of the fastening components. Those harder hooks are easier to penetrate fiber loops and bundle to lock with them.

FIG. 44 shows a group fiber loops on a sheet.

FIG. 45 shows using a flocking process and modified flocking process to prepare fastening components such as short fibers on fiber sheet 10 or other substance surface 18. The substance surface may have flocked fastening components such as short fibers embed in/on surface, which can increase the interface strength when said substance surface having flocked fastening components meets another substance surface with or without said flocked fastening components. The flocked fastening components or flocked short fibers can be transversely laid through the interface of two substance and make the interface stronger by the locked fasteners or the link of short fibers.

The flocking process involves applying fastening components such as short fibers 11, fiber bundles 22 and bonded fibers 27 directly on to the substrate that may or may not have been previously coated with an adhesive. The process uses mechanical or electrical equipment that mechanically erect or electrically charges the flock fastening components such as short fibers causing them stand-up. The fastening components are then propelled and anchored into the adhesive at near right and right angles to the substrate. The flocking process can be accomplished by one the four methods: electrostatic, beater bar/gravity, spraying and transfers. Flocking fastening component material can also be spayed using an air compressor, reservoir and spay gun similar to spaying paint. Flocking is also applied by print an adhesive on to a material, and then rapidly vibrating the substrate mechanically, while the flock fastening components such as fibers are dispensed over the surface.

The vibration promotes the density of fastening components such as fibers and causes the flocking fastening components to adhere to the adhesive and pack into a layer. This process is a beater bar or gravity flocking system.

FIG. 46 shows a flocking application by the electrostatic method. The fiber sheet 10 goes between positive electrode grid 71 and ground electrode 72 to let flocking fastening components such as short fibers penetrate fiber sheet and/or adhesive film and stay on them.

In FIG. 47 , the fiber sheet 10 is attached an adhesive net film 70 underneath. The adhesive standoffs 71 on the net film attach it to the fiber sheet 10 and make a gap between the adhesive net film and fiber sheet. The fiber sheet is loose enough to let the flocking fastening components such as short fibers penetrate fiber sheet to reach, penetrate and stay on the below adhesive net film. FIG. 47A and FIG. 47B show the fiber sheet 10 and net adhesive net film 70 with a designed pattern on them. So fastening components such as short fibers, hooks and loops can penetrate fiber sheet 10 and adhesive net film 70 and stay on them at desired areas according to the patterns.

FIG. 48A and FIG. 48B show the adhesive net films 70 may attach to the two sides of fiber sheet 10. The adhesive film 70 has window 74 to allow short flocking fastening components such as fibers penetrate fiber sheet 10 and stay at desired areas.

FIG. 49 shows the fiber sheets with flocked vertical fastening components such as fibers, loops and hooks are stacked together. During curing process, the adhesive melt, and the fastening components such as hooks and loops link together.

The much easier way to add flocking to materials is to apply standard flocking transfers. Basically the flocking pre-press is virtually the same as it if for a screen printing with only a few differences. FIG. 50 shows the fastening components such as short fibers are flocked on a substance such as adhesive film 70 and them transfer onto the fiber sheet 10 or on other substance surface.

If the fastening components such as short fibers are dielectric, a chemical treatment is needed to enable the fastening components such as fibers to accept an electrical charge. A certain amount of conductivity must be present for electrostatic flocking process to occur.

FIG. 51 shows a net 75 has fastening components such as hooks, loops and mushroom heads on its both sides. The fastening components such as hooks, loops and mushroom heads may go through fiber sheet 10 to link with next net 75 when the nets 75 and fiber sheets stack together.

FIG. 52 shows use complex yarn technology to make the yarns. The fastening components such as hooks or mushroom heads may have multiple stands 22 and bonded with material with material 27 to make them stronger and harder.

FIG. 53 shows the yarn may vary its width or diameter 76 along its length. So the wider yarn or even belt 76 makes the tube and bottle curve area stronger shown in FIG. 54

The fastening components such as hooks, loops, mushroom heads can attach on yarns just like the barb on a barbed wire shown in FIG. 55

It also can use stable to make 3D fibrics, preforms and composites, shown in FIG. 56. Threads 22 may become a stable with or without adhesive 27. Use modified regular stable machine and flocking process may let the thread or wire stables penetrate fiber sheets to make 3D preforms and composites.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A fiber product comprising: at least one fiber-made article selected from the group comprising of fiber plies, sheets, blocks, fabrics, blankets, cushions, meshes, nets, cloth, filaments, threads, yarns, wires,at least one of fastening components selected from the group comprising of Velcro fasteners, hooks and loops, hooks and hooks, hooks, loops, fish hook shape hooks, arrow hooks, anchor hooks, mushroom heads, ties, knots, forks, branchs, knot chains, hook chains, staples and, zipper heads, arrow heads, chain hooks, chain loops, teeth, screws, coils, and loop-shape hook fastenerssaid fastening components are on/in one or both sides or around of said fiber-made article at predetermined areas; or said fastening components may act alone without said fiber-made article,wherein two or more said fiber-made articles can link or lock together by said fastening components at predetermined areas,or wherein said fastening components can link other substances at interface to improve the interface properties.

22. A fiber product as set forth in claim 21 comprising said fiber articles and said fastening components, wherein some fiber articles comprising weaving, knitting, braiding, spaying, laying and/or flocking together a plurality of items selected from the group of weft threads, staples, warp threads, knit threads, threads, fibers, and braid threads together with a plurality of items selected from the group of auxiliary warp, weft, knit and braid threads of fibers, threads and fibers, forming loops, hooksand/or pile threads with said auxiliary threads and/or flocking threads and fibers on one or both sides or around of the fiber article at predetermined areas,wherein some fastening components obtaining by means selected from the group comprising of submitting some or all of the said loops to one or multiple means selected from the group comprising of thermal, electrical, magnetic source, adhesive materials, and chemical treatment, to retain their shape and increase their hardness to form hooks, a hoop can be shaped to a hook, or to form raised pile threads,cutting said loops near their outer ends also getting hooks, thereby forming material-engaging means on at least a portion of pile threads; cutting said loops near therespective outer end at a point between said outer end and the fabric surface, thereby forming a hook-shaped section with the free end of the respective pile thread at one side of said point at which the cut is made;the end of at least part of said raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging hooks;the terminal portions of at least part of said of raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging means including hook-shaped sections;wherein the fastening components can combine with or embed in/on the fiber articles by means selected from the group comprising of textile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies,non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on the fibers articles,bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fibers articles,wherein when said fiber articles being laid together, said fasteners on different fiber articles can engage and fasten together to get a 3 Dimensional fiber product which can be separated and re-made; the fiber product can be used to make stronger composites.

23. A fiber product of claim 21, further including matrix materials for impregnating or bonding said fiber articles and fiber products, impregnated said fiber articles are prepreg with the same shape as said fiber article such as sheet or thread, wherein said prepreg may or may not have basins, windows and trench pattern on matrix materials on prepreg surfaces and/or body, said fasteners are hide and protected in those basins, windows and trench pattern, said fiber article or said prepreg having said fastening components on/in them can be made by means selected from the group comprising oftextile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies,non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on said fiber articles.bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fiber articles,wherein flocking process including mechanical flocking process and/or electro-static flocking process; said flocking processes are processes selected from the group comprising ofshooting said fastening components at the fiber article or prepreg with sufficient force to embed the fasteners into fiber article or prepreg, fully or partially through the thickness of fiber article and prepreg;shooting said fasteners from a fasteners source through a screen on which there are desired pattern holes and windows on the screen, with a portion of said fasteners passing through screen and attaching and/or embedding on said fiber article and prepreg fully or partially through thickness;

24. A fiber product of claim 21, can be obtained from items selected from the group comprising of said fiber article and prepreg which is matrix material impregnated said fiber article, to have said fastening components on/in said fiber article and prepreg could be done by using a flocking or a spay process wherein said flocking or spay process may have means in processes select from the group comprising of the flocking or spaying process having predetermined pattern holes and windows on a screen matching patterned windows on said fiber article or prepreg; so that said fastening components can go through the windows on the screen and the windows on said fiber aticle and/or prepreg to obtain through-thickness fasteners fiber article and prepreg;there may be adhesive around said windows on said fiber article and prepreg, so that said fasteners are held in through-thickness position by the adhesive;said fiber article and prepreg may have resin films or resin film net on their at least one surface, there may be or may not be a small gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg; said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg, and further go through said gap to reach resin film and attach on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article and prepreg; if there is no gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg and resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article or prepreg;

25. A fiber product of claim 21 wherein said windows on said screen may have walls which project from screen surface at window edges, said projecting wall acts as knife and needle to open a window or hole on fiber article and prepreg for flocking fasteners to go through when said screen is placed near fiber artcle and prepreg; when said screen is placed near fiber ply and prepreg, said projecting wall knifes at window edges penetrate fiber ply and prepreg, screen and/or said projecting wall knifes move around, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg are shaped, then flocking fasteners may go through the windows and holes on screen and fiber ply and prepreg and reach and stay on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners; after remove the screen and knifes, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg may close to further hold the through-thickness fasteners;

26. A composite made from two or more materials to obtain better physical or chemical properties comprising: at least one fiber-made article selected from the group comprising of fiber plies, sheets, blocks, fabrics, blankets, cushions, meshes, nets, cloth, filaments, threads, yarns, wires,at least one kind of one or multiple fastening components selected from the group comprising of Velcro fasteners, hooks and loops, hooks and hooks, hooks, loops, fish hook shape hooks, arrow hooks, anchor hooks, mushroom heads, ties, knots, forks, branchs, knot chains, hook chains, staples and, zipper heads, arrow heads, chain hooks, chain loops, teeth, screws, coils, and loop-shape hook fasteners,at least one kind of matrix materials,said fastening components are on/in one or/and both sides or/and around of said fiber-made article at predetermined areas;wherein two or more said fiber-made articles can link or lock together by said fastening components at predetermined areas to make a stronger composite,or wherein said fastening components may act alone without said fiber-made article, so that said fastening components can link other substances at interface to improve the interface properties.

27. A composite of claim 26, wherein wherein some fiber articles comprising weaving, knitting, braiding, spaying, laying and/or flocking together a plurality of items selected from the group of weft threads, staples, warp threads, knit threads, threads, fibers, and braid threads together with a plurality of items selected from the group of auxiliary warp, weft, knit and braid threads of fibers, threads and fibers, forming loops, hooksand/or pile threads with said auxiliary threads and/or flocking threads and fibers on one or both sides or around of the fiber article at predetermined areas,wherein some fastening components obtaining by means selected from the group comprising of submitting some or all of the said loops to one or multiple means selected from the group comprising of thermal, electrical, magnetic source, adhesive materials, and chemical treatment, to retain their shape and increase their hardness to form hooks, a hoop can be shaped to a hook, or to form raised pile threads,cutting said loops near their outer ends also getting hooks, thereby forming material-engaging means on at least a portion of pile threads; cutting said loops near therespective outer end at a point between said outer end and the fabric surface, thereby forming a hook-shaped section with the free end of the respective pile thread at one side of said point at which the cut is made;the end of at least part of said raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging hooks;the terminal portions of at least part of said of raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging means including hook-shaped sections;wherein the fastening components can combine with or embed in/on the fiber articles by means selected from the group comprising of textile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies,non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on the fibers articles,bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fibers articles,wherein when said fiber articles being laid together, said fasteners on different fiber articles can engage and fasten together to get a 3 Dimensional fiber product which can be separated and re-made; the fiber product can be used to make stronger composites.

28. A composite as set forth in claim 26, wherein impregnated said fiber articles are prepreg with the same shape as said fiber article such as sheet or thread, wherein said prepreg may or may not have basins, windows and trench pattern on matrix materials on prepreg surfaces and/or body, said fasteners are hide and protected in those basins, windows and trench pattern, said fiber article or said prepreg having said fastening components on/in them can be made by means selected from the group comprising oftextile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies,non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on said fiber articles.bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fiber articles,wherein flocking process including mechanical flocking process and/or electro-static flocking process; said flocking processes are processes selected from the group comprising ofshooting said fastening components at the fiber article or prepreg with sufficient force to embed the fasteners into fiber article or prepreg, fully or partially through the thickness of fiber article and prepreg;shooting said fasteners from a fasteners source through a screen on which there are desired pattern holes and windows on the screen, with a portion of said fasteners passing through screen and attaching and/or embedding on said fiber article and prepreg fully or partially through thickness;

29. A composite as set forth in claim 26, can be obtained from items selected from the group comprising of said fiber article and prepreg which is matrix material impregnated said fiber article, to have said fastening components on/in said fiber article and prepreg could be done by using a flocking or a spay process wherein said flocking or spay process may have means in processes select from the group comprising ofthe flocking or spaying process having predetermined pattern holes and windows on a screen matching patterned windows on said fiber article or prepreg; so that said fastening components can go through the windows on the screen and the windows on said fiber aticle and/or prepreg to obtain through-thickness fasteners fiber article and prepreg;there may be adhesive around said windows on said fiber article and prepreg, so that said fasteners are held in through-thickness position by the adhesive;said fiber article and prepreg may have resin films or resin film net on their at least one surface, there may be or may not be a small gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg; said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg, and further go through said gap to reach resin film and attach on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article and prepreg; if there is no gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg and resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article or prepreg;said windows on said screen may have walls which project from screen surface at window edges, said projecting wall acts as knife and needle to open a window or hole on fiber article and prepreg for flocking fasteners to go through when said screen is placed near fiber artcle and prepreg;when said screen is placed near fiber ply and prepreg, said projecting wall knifes at window edges penetrate fiber ply and prepreg, screen and/or said projecting wall knifes move around, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg are shaped, then flocking fasteners may go through the windows and holes on screen and fiber ply and prepreg and reach and stay on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners; after remove the screen and knifes, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg may close to further hold the through-thickness fasteners.

30. In a method for producing fiber product and composite, the method comprising: at least one or multiple of fastening components selected from the group comprising of Velcro fasteners, hooks and loops, hooks and hooks, hooks, loops, fish hook shape hooks, arrow hooks, anchor hooks, mushroom heads, ties, knots, forks, branchs, knot chains, hook chains, staples and, zipper heads, arrow heads, chain hooks, chain loops, teeth, screws, coils, and loop-shape hook fastenerssaid fastening components can link other substances at interface to improve the interface properties, wherein the substance surfaces may have fastening components embed in/on its surfaces, which can increase the interface strength when said substance surface having fastening components meets another substance surface with or without said counterparts of fastening components, the fastening components can be transversely laid through the interface of two substance and make the interface stronger by the link of fasteners or by the locked fasteners.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein further including combining said fastening components with at least one fiber-made article selected from the group comprising of fiber plies, sheets, blocks, fabrics, blankets, cushions, meshes, nets, cloth, filaments, threads, yarns, wires, said fastening components are on/in one or both sides or around of said fiber-made article at predetermined areas;by means selected from the group comprising of textile industry technologies such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braid, stitching, and hook and loop (Velcro) technologies,non-weaving technologies such as needle penetrating, air blow the fasteners on fibers and air, molding, coating, spay, flocking or water jet shoot the fasteners on the fibers articles,bond on, glue on, weld on, embed on compress on and grow on the fibers articles,wherein obtaining some fiber articles by weaving, knitting, braiding, spaying, laying and/or flocking together a plurality of items selected from the group of weft threads, staples, warp threads, knit threads, threads, fibers, and braid threads together with a plurality of items selected from the group of auxiliary warp, weft, knit and braid threads of fibers, threads and fibers, forming loops, hooksand/or pile threads with said auxiliary threads and/or flocking threads and fibers on one or both sides or around of the fiber article at predetermined areas,wherein some fastening components obtaining by means selected from the group comprising of submitting some or all of the said loops to one or multiple means selected from the group comprising of thermal, electrical, magnetic source, adhesive materials, and chemical treatment, to retain their shape and increase their hardness to form hooks, a hoop can be shaped to a hook, or to form raised pile threads,cutting said loops near their outer ends also getting hooks, thereby forming material-engaging means on at least a portion of pile threads; cutting said loops near therespective outer end at a point between said outer end and the fabric surface, thereby forming a hook-shaped section with the free end of the respective pile thread at one side of said point at which the cut is made;the end of at least part of said raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging hooks;the terminal portions of at least part of said of raised pile threads being in the form of material-engaging means including hook-shaped sections;wherein when said fiber articles being laid together, said fasteners on different fiber articles can engage and fasten together at predetermined areas to get a 3 Dimensional fiber product which can be separated and re-made; the fiber product can be used to make stronger composites.

32. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein obtained from items selected from the group comprising of said fiber article and prepreg which is matrix material impregnated said fiber article, to have said fastening components on/in said fiber article and prepreg could be done by using a flocking or a spay process wherein said flocking or spay process may have means in processes select from the group comprising ofthe flocking or spaying process having predetermined pattern holes and windows on a screen matching patterned windows on said fiber article or prepreg; so that said fastening components can go through the windows on the screen and the windows on said fiber aticle and/or prepreg to obtain through-thickness fasteners fiber article and prepreg;there may be adhesive around said windows on said fiber article and prepreg, so that said fasteners are held in through-thickness position by the adhesive;

33. A method as set forth in claim 30, wherein said fiber article and prepreg may have resin films or resin film net on their at least one surface, there may be or may not be a small gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg; said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg, and further go through said gap to reach resin film and attach on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article and prepreg; if there is no gap between resin film and fiber ply/prepreg said fasteners may go through fiber article and prepreg and resin film to get through-thickness fasteners on at least one surface of fiber article or prepreg;said windows on said screen may have walls which project from screen surface at window edges, said projecting wall acts as knife and needle to open a window or hole on fiber article and prepreg for flocking fasteners to go through when said screen is placed near fiber artcle and prepreg; when said screen is placed near fiber ply and prepreg, said projecting wall knifes at window edges penetrate fiber ply and prepreg, screen and/or said projecting wall knifes move around, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg are shaped, then flocking fasteners may go through the windows and holes on screen and fiber ply and prepreg and reach and stay on the resin film to get through-thickness fasteners; after remove the screen and knifes, the windows and holes on fiber ply and prepreg may close to further hold the through-thickness fasteners;

34. As set forth in claim 21, fasteners including Velcro fasteners, hook and loop, hook and hook, fish hook, arrow hook, anchor hook, mushroom head, tie knot, fork, branch, staple, knot chain, hook chain, loop chain and loop shape hook fasteners can be attached, embedded on fiber ply and fiber thread fully or partially through-thickness by weaving, knitting, braiding, stitching, non-weaving method, air jet, water jet, spray, compress, printing, napping, complex yarn; said fastener material can be made by fiber, tube, nanotube, nanofiber, thread, yarn, chain; said fasteners can be shaped by heat, electricity, magnet, adhesive, coating and chemical solution treatment; narrow loop can be bent and shaped like a hook and said narrow loop hook acts as a hook.

35. As set forth in claim 21, hooks usually is harder than loops in order to penetrate into loops, engage and lock with loops; if it is hook and hook fastening together, one kind of hook is harder than the other kind of hook in order that the harder hook penetrate and engage into the softer hooks; in order to get harder hooks, the hook can be applied with glue, coating materials, proper heat treatment or chemical treatment, can use multiple fibers, harder material, thicker fiber and glue bonded multiple fiber threads;

36. As set forth in claim 21, wherein said fasteners on fiber article can have desired direction and pattern in order that those fasteners from adjacent and near plies can engage and lock together when they meet, so that inner curve side of a hook on a ply should face hook's inner curve side of the other ply for easy engagement; fasteners may extend out from fiber ply at an acute angle, this acute angle of fasteners may face the acute angle of the fasteners on adjacent and near fiber ply to make those fasteners engage and interlock stronger; those pattern and orientation of fasteners on adjacent fiber plies should help their engagement and interlock, and also increase the strength to against shear and tear loading in a specific direction.

37. As set forth in claim 21, wherein fiber threads and strands can make fiber staples, said fiber staples can penetrate fiber plies and hold them together like staples to get 3D fiber products, then said fiber products are infiltrated with composite matrix materials and solidified to get composites; adhesive and coating materials can hold said fiber threads and strands together in said fiber staple.

38. As set forth in claim 22, wherein there are said fasteners at the connection parts where one of fiber product, prepreg and composite connect to the other one of any fiber product, prepreg and composite. Those fasteners on two parts will engage and inter lock to increase the connection strength of the two parts.

39. As set forth in claim 21, wherein said fiber plies can be net shape, said fasteners on those fiber plies can penetrate multiple fiber plies to reach and engage and interlock other fasteners.

40. As set forth in claim 21, wherein said fiber thread may vary its width, diameter and fasteners along its length, so that the wider and/or thicker portion of said threads match the curve area of structures during wrapping and laying.