| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 223 707 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
08.11.1989 Bulletin 1989/45 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
27.05.1987 Bulletin 1987/22 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 13.11.1986 |
|
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
DE FR GB NL |
| (30) |
Priority: |
14.11.1985 JP 253724/85
|
| (71) |
Applicant: KAWASAKI STEEL CORPORATION |
|
Chuo-Ku, Kobe-City Hyogo 651 (JP) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Marui, Tomohiro
c/o Kawasaki Steel Corp.
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo (JP)
- Kaneko, Tadao
c/o Kawasaki Steel Corp.
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo (JP)
- Ao, Kazuo
c/o Kawasaki Steel Corp.
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo (JP)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Nony, Michel |
|
NONY & ASSOCIES
29, rue Cambacérès
75008 Paris
75008 Paris (FR) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Carbon fiber aggregate capable of feeding by gravity-feed and production method therefor |
(57) A compressed carbon fiber aggregate has a ball-shaped, elongated ellipsoidal or cylindrical
configuration made up of individual carbon fibers. The carbon fiber aggregate is produced
without the need for a binder but is made sufficiently dense by compression into the
ball-shaped, ellipsoidal or cylindrical configuration.To produce the aforementioned
carbon fiber aggregate with increased density, loose carbon fibers are circulated
by means of a gas, such as air, within a circular chamber (10). As they are being
driven around the circular chamber by the gas, individual carbon fibers separate and
then reaggregate into a more compact ball-shaped or ellipsoidal configuration. By
performing the aforementioned process for a sufficient period of time, e.g. 10 to
20 min., a ball-shaped or ellipsoidal carbon fiber aggregate with a density sufficiently
high for gravity-feed can be obtained. The obtained carbon fiber aggregates may be
of essentially uniform size and density.