Structural panel, a structural system and a method of forming a structural panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10940665-B2
Application number	US-201615097557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A system and method of a structural panel includes a first outer sheet and a second outer sheet, the first outer sheet and second outer sheet including a polygon shape; a core arrangement sandwiched between the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet, the core arrangement comprising two or more discrete members arranged adjacent each other, the discrete members shaped or structured to reduce crack initiation and propagation within the core arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A structural panel comprising;
a first outer sheet and a second outer sheet, the first outer sheet and second outer sheet comprise a polygon shape,
a core arrangement sandwiched between the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet,
the core arrangement comprising a plurality of rigid cylindrical tubes arranged adjacent each other, wherein the plurality of rigid cylindrical tubes are discrete members separated from each other; and
a plurality of adhesive spots applied along the discrete members, between the adjacent discrete members, and between the discrete members and the first and second outer sheets so as to connect the plurality of rigid cylindrical tubes, the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet to form the structural panel, and wherein the plurality of adhesive spots are evenly spaced apart;
wherein the plurality of adhesive spots are further arranged to separate each of the plurality of rigid cylindrical tubes from an adjacent cylindrical tube, the first outer sheet and the second outer sheet so as to reduce crack initiation and continuous propagation of the crack within the core arrangement.

2. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the core arrangement is structured against stress concentration locations within the core arrangement.

3. A structural panel in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the plurality of discrete members shaped and structured to provide mechanical stiffness to the panel and the panel being substantially crack propagation resistant.

4. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the core arrangement comprises a plurality of layers of discrete members, the core arrangement comprises at least a first layer of discrete members and at least a second layer of discrete members, the first layer of discrete members being stacked on top of the second layer of discrete members.

5. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the discrete members are elongate tubes, the tubes being identical to each other and comprise a circular cross section, and wherein the first and second sheets are rectangular in shape.

6. A structural panel in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the first outer sheet and second outer sheet are formed from a metal or metal alloy and the tubes are formed from a metal or metal alloy.

7. A structural panel in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the first outer sheet, the second outer sheet and the tubes are formed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

8. A structural panel in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the first outer sheet, the second outer sheet and the tubes are formed from a grade 1100 aluminium alloy in the “O” temper annealed condition.

9. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first outer sheet and second outer sheet have a thickness of between 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm, the first outer sheet and second outer sheet comprise a constant thickness.

10. A structural system comprising a plurality of structural panels in accordance with claim 1 ; and
one or more couplers each including a coupling tube extending between at least two structural panels to thereby couple the structural panels together,
wherein the plurality of adhesive spots is further applied between an outer circumference of each of the coupling tubes and an inner surface of the corresponding rigid cylindrical tube of the structural panels so as to connect the coupling tubes to the corresponding rigid cylindrical tubes; and
wherein the plurality of adhesive spots are further arranged to separate each of the coupling tubes from the corresponding rigid cylindrical tube, so as to reduce crack initiation and continuous propagation of the crack between the coupling tubes and the rigid cylindrical tubes.

11. A structural system in accordance with claim 10 , further comprising a casing concealing a portion of the one or more couples between adjacent structural panels.

12. A structural system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the casing comprises a first cover and a second cover arranged to cover opposite sides of the portion of the one or more couplers between adjacent structural panels.

13. A structural system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the coupling tube is a solid elongate rod.

14. A structural system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the coupling tube is a hollow elongate tube.

15. A structural system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein each coupling tube corresponds to a tube within the core arrangement of the first structural panel and the core arrangement of the second structural panel, each coupling tube is inserted into a tube of the core arrangement of the first structural panel and inserted into a tube of the core arrangement from the second structural panel, such that the first and second structural panels are coupled together.

16. A structural system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the coupling tubes comprise a circular cross section, wherein the outer diameter of the coupling tubes is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubes of the core arrangement of the first structural panel, and the outer diameter of the coupling tubes is smaller than the outer diameter of the tubes of the core arrangement of the second structural panel.

17. A structural system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the coupling tubes are angled, the angled coupling tubes are configured to couple the first structural panel and the second structural panel at an angle with respect to each other.

18. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of cylindrical tubes include a circular cross section, with an outer cross sectional diameter between 0.5 mm and 5.5 mm, and wherein each of the plurality of rigid cylindrical tubes comprise a wall thickness of 0.15 mm and 0.6 mm and a constant wall thickness.

19. A structural panel in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the core arrangement comprises a first layer of tubes and a second layer of tubes, the first layer of tubes arranged perpendicular or at an angle to the second layer of tubes, and wherein the first layer of tubes being bonded to the second layer of tubes with the plurality of adhesive spots applied between the first and second layers of tubes.

20. A structural panel in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adhesive spots includes an acrylic based adhesive.

21. A structural panel in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the plurality of adhesive spots include each have a diameter of between 0.5 mm and 3.5 mm.

22. A structural panel in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the plurality of adhesive spots have a spacing of 0.5 mm to 5.5 mm between adjacent spots in the plurality of adhesive spots.

23. A structural panel in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the acrylic based adhesive is ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate.

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Lai Ki Leuk Joseph

Classifications

• Y10T428/1234

  Honeycomb, or with grain orientation or elongated elements in defined angular relationship in respective components [e.g., parallel, inter- secting, etc.] · CPC title

• B64C1/06

  Frames; Stringers; Longerons {; Fuselage sections} · CPC title

• B32B2419/00

  Buildings or parts thereof · CPC title

• B32B3/20 Primary

  of hollow pieces, e.g. tubes; of pieces with channels or cavities · CPC title

• B32B2607/00

  Walls, panels · CPC title