Stabilized braided biaxial structure and method of manufacture of the same

Abstract

A flat broad good is manufactured from a portion of an intermediate braided structure laid into flat broad good form. The portion forming the flat broad good is a stabilized braided biaxial structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a flat broad good comprising
 providing an intermediate braided structure; and   laying at least a portion of the structure into flat broad good form; where the portion forming the flat broad good is a stabilized braided biaxial structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  where the intermediate braided structure is a generally biaxially braided sleeve including at least two tow materials in oblique directions and has at least one triaxially braided region. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  where the triaxial region includes thermoplastic tow materials laid in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  where the thermoplastic tow materials laid in a longitudinal direction are generally of lower strength as compared to the tow materials in the oblique directions. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 applying heat to the triaxial region of the structure to affect melting of the longitudinal thermoplastic tow materials. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 slitting the intermediate braided structure along a cut line in the triaxial region. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 trimming away at least one section of the triaxial region. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  where the intermediate braided structure is a generally biaxially braided tape including at least two tow materials in oblique directions and has at least one triaxially braided region. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  where the triaxial region includes thermoplastic tow materials laid in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  where the thermoplastic tow materials laid in a longitudinal direction are generally of lower strength as compared to the tow materials in the oblique directions. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 applying heat to the triaxial region of the structure to affect melting of the longitudinal thermoplastic tow materials. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 slitting the intermediate braided structure along a cut line in the triaxial region. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 trimming away at least one section of the triaxial region. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 applying a matrix soluble thermoplastic epoxy coating to at least one side of the broad good; and 
 heating the coating. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  where the coating is heated to a full cure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  where the intermediate braided structure is generally biaxially braided including at least two tow materials in oblique directions and has at least one triaxially braided region including thermoplastic tow materials and processing tow materials laid in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         17 . An intermediate braided structure comprising:
 at least two tow materials biaxially braided in oblique directions; and   at least one other tow material laid in a longitudinal direction forming a triaxially braided region.   
     
     
         18 . The intermediate braided structure of  claim 17  where the structure is a sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The intermediate braided structure of  claim 17  where the structure is a tape. 
     
     
         20 . A braided biaxial structure, generally supplied as a broad good, comprising:
 interleaved tows of material in opposing oblique directions; and   a matrix soluble thermoplastic epoxy coating on at least one side of the structure.