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Process for manufacturing a boat hullRelated Patent Categories: Ships, Boats, Boat Component, Or Attachment, Hull Construction, PlasticProcess for manufacturing a boat hull description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060219152, Process for manufacturing a boat hull. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/657,645, filed Mar. 1, 2005. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a process of manufacturing a boat hull, deck, or other large laminate parts. The process utilizes a closed molded system for producing a unitary laminate part, whereby a pre-core and stringers are integrally molded during a reaction injection molding process. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] Large fiberglass parts, such as boat hulls and large containers use stringers and bulkheads inside the part to increase their strength. The ribs or stringers create sections or flat parts between them. These flat parts are where one of the improvements arises. In an attempt to increase the strength of the laminate a closed mold system has been utilized to optimize strength through thickness and shape. [0004] Traditionally, a fiberglass boat hull is fabricated using a one-sided open mold where layers of laminate are applied on top of one another. The first layer is generally the outside layer made of a gel coat and subsequent fiberglass mat and resin layers are put down thereafter. In the middle of the laminate a core of wood, honeycomb, foam, etc. is applied. A final layer of fiberglass and resin is then applied to the core. Stringers, bulkheads and other structures are fabricated later. [0005] There are many disadvantages of the traditional open mold hand lay up process. For example, it takes many labor hours to fabricate a hull using the traditional process because each layer is applied by hand. Further, because the mold is open, workers are often exposed to toxic fumes from the resin. Also, the old method creates voids in the laminate which can require post lamination repair. Moreover, the traditional method only molds one side of the part at a time, which decreases the quality of the part. Moreover, the old method is not very reproducible, which decreases consistency of the final hull thus making no two parts the same. Further, the old method results in an unfinished interior surface, such as the headliner or engine compartment, which is labor intensive to later finish. Accordingly, it is therefore desirable to overcome the aforementioned problems with a new, less expensive, faster producing, higher quality, more repeatable process for molding a hull for a vessel. [0006] One aspect of the present invention uses a two-sided closed mold method of manufacturing a large hull for a boat, container, etc. With closed molding, the shape of both the outside and inside of the part can be controlled. Another aspect of the invention has the shape of the flats of the laminate in a concave manner by which the square or rectangle flat sections of the inside of the part have a slight dish shape to them. An additional aspect of the invention has the stringer, bulkhead, and gusset system built collectively as a unitary structure into the hull. [0007] One form of the present invention creates a hull having one or both sides of the laminate that are dish shaped. The dish shape will enhance the strength of the laminate without increasing the core thickness or matt and resin thickness. If only one side of the laminate is dished then it would actually decrease the amount of the core material in the laminate. If both sides of the core are dish shaped, meaning one side is concave and one side is convex, then the core would be the same thickness assuming both convex and concave shapes are consistent in size and shape. This dish shaped portion of the hull reacts against the pressure that is being applied to the bottom of the boat by the waves, thus making the laminate stronger by shape. [0008] A second form of the present invention provides an improved boat hull design with an integrally molded stringer, bulkhead, and gusset system for creating a one piece unitary structure. The resulting boat hull is stronger, takes less time to manufacture, has improved fit and finish from the inside of the boat hull, and eliminates the need for finishing the engine compartment, a typical additional step in the traditional method of manufacturing a hull. [0009] A third form of the present invention includes a method of manufacturing a boat hull using a two part closed molding process comprising the steps of building hull A and B molds, said molds having a top, bottom and a side, installing inserts into their respective molds, introducing the hull bottom and hull sides with material, and venting excess coring agent out of the top of the mold to allow for expansion. Next hull B mold and hull A mold are separated, sheeting hull bottom core with material, pulling stringer, bulkhead and engine compartment inserts, introducing core agent, pulling core and draping core with fiberglass mat. Pulling remaining inserts from molds, spraying molds with protective agent, inserting core into mold, closing molds, injecting material and releasing part. [0010] A forth form of the invention includes a boat hull constructed using a closed mold processes, comprising a first layer of composite material, a core layer adjacent to the first layer, and a second layer of composite material. [0011] The novel process has the capability of not only producing a boat hull or deck, but other large parts as well. Other examples include fuselage and plane parts for the aerospace industry, rocket housings and shells for the military and defense industry, containers for the storage, transportation and aggregate business, trailer shells for the truck and trailer business and housing units for the housing industry. Any large item which can be produced in a closed molded system needing a core for it's laminate can use this invention. [0012] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of a boat hull of the present invention; [0015] FIGS. 2a-2c illustrate a flow diagram of the steps in the method for manufacturing the present invention; and [0016] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the boat hull after it has been constructed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0017] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. For discussion purposes only, a boat hull construction will be described. [0018] With reference to FIG. 1, an improved boat hull mold 10 is illustrated with the configuration of the remainder of the boat 12 shown in phantom. The boat hull mold 10 utilizes a unique closed molded system that employs an exterior hull mold 14, an exterior insert 16, a core 18, an interior insert 20, and an interior hull mold 22. Stringer inserts 24, 26, and 28, may be integral or located adjacent to the core 18 and are located within the engine compartment 30 and throughout the hull 116. The exterior mold 14 sits on a base 32 during the molding process. A bulkhead 34 and gusset system 36 can also be molded integrally in the hull mold 10 in order to create a single unitary design. [0019] The interior hull mold 22 forms the inside of the hull mold 10 and has a stringer, bulkhead and gusset system integrally built into the structure. This design allows the manufacturer to include the stringer, bulkhead and gusset system built into the structure as one composite piece. Traditionally, boats have their stringer, bulkhead and gusset systems added after the hull laminate is done. The benefits of including the stringer, bulkhead and gusset components into the hull include 1) a stronger design because the components are an integral part of the hull, not a later addition; 2) It takes less time to build the components into the boat during the closed molding process; 3) the inside of the hull will have a bright, beautiful finish, much like the outside of the part; 4) the engine compartment comes out of the mold already done thus eliminating the need for further finishing; and 5) the inside of the hull forward which makes up the interior space of the boat is finished reducing manufacturing cost. Continue reading about Process for manufacturing a boat hull... Full patent description for Process for manufacturing a boat hull Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Process for manufacturing a boat hull patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Process for manufacturing a boat hull or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method and apparatus for welding a fluoropolymer seam Next Patent Application: Condensed retractable safety marker Industry Class: Ships ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Process for manufacturing a boat hull patent info. 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