Grid type element of open polygonal cells

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9266304-B2
Application number	US-201314101483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2013
Priority date	Dec 14, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A grid type element ( 1 ) of fiber composite structure, comprising a plurality of open polygonal cells ( 5 ) made of at least three core segments ( 16 ), said open polygonal cells ( 5 ) being stringed together alongside said ribs ( 16 ) to form a grid structure, and an essentially planar skin sheet ( 4 ), said essentially planar skin sheet ( 4 ) being attached unilaterally to the grid structure. A multipartite core ( 6 ) is provided, said core segments ( 6 a, 6 b, 6 c ) with respectively rectangular cross sections being formed of said multipartite core ( 6 ). Said at least three core segments ( 6 a, 6 b, 6 c ) are pivotable interconnected with at least two reduced cross sections ( 9 ) between two of said at least three core segments ( 6 a, 6 b, 6 c ) and at least one fiber composite layer ( 8, 7 ) is provided with said multipartite core ( 6 ), said at least one fiber composite layer ( 8, 7 ) sheathing at least partly said multipartite core ( 6 ). The invention is as well related to a method of manufacturing such grid type elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A grid type fiber composite structure comprising:
a plurality of open polygon cells arranged in a planar layout and each comprising at least three cell segments, the at least three cell segments comprising:
a multipartite core being made of foam and comprising at least three core segments, each of the core segments having a substantially rectangular cross section, an inner planar surface corresponding to a first side of the rectangular cross section, and an outer planar surface corresponding to a second side of the rectangular cross section that is opposite the first side,
wherein each of the core segments extends principally along a respective inherent longitudinal axis, and
wherein the inner and outer planar surfaces of a core segment are positioned transverse to the inherent longitudinal axis and perpendicular to the planar layout;

a fiber composite layer sheathing entirely the inner planar surface of each of the multipartite cores; and
a fiber composite layer sheathing entirely the outer planar surface of each of the multipartite cores,
wherein each of the at least three cell segments is pivotably interconnected with at least another one of the at least three cell segments to form one of the open polygon cells, the cell segments being oriented in at least two different directions, and the open polygon cells are joined together along respective outer planar surfaces to form a grid;

an essentially planar skin sheet attached to one side of the grid; and
a layer of intersecting strips positioned on the opposite side of the grid from the planar skin sheet, wherein strips in the layer of intersecting strips cover the cell segments of the open polygon cells along each of the at least two different directions.

2. The structure according to claim 1 , further comprising a layer of intersecting strips positioned between the planar skin sheet and the covering the polygon cells; wherein strips in the layer of intersecting strips cover the cell segments of the open polygon cells along each of the at least two different directions.

3. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein both ends of each of the core segments are provided with complementary reduced cross sections defining respectively two sloped surfaces, all of the two sloped surfaces of two adjacent core segments covering each other entirely for interconnection of the core segments to a closed layout for each of the cell segments.

4. The structure according to claim 3 , wherein the rectangular cross sections of the multipartite core are tapered toward interconnecting reduced cross sections between two of the at least three core segments.

5. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite layers are cut and textured.

6. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite layers are each a dry semi-finished part or a pre-impregnated semi-finished part.

7. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite layers and/or the multipartite core comprises adhesive interfaces of fillet and/or adhesive layer.

8. The structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fiber composite layers comprises lateral flaps.

9. A method of manufacturing the grid type fiber composite structure according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
providing fiber composite layers and foam multipartite cores with at least three essentially longitudinal core segments,
wherein the core segments have a substantially rectangular cross section, an inner planar surface corresponding to a first side of the rectangular cross section, and an outer planar surface corresponding to a second side of the rectangular cross section that is opposite the first side,
and wherein the core segments are pivotably connected to each other by means of reduced cross sections between the core segments;

sheathing the inner and outer planar surfaces of each of the core segments of the multipartite cores with fiber composite layers;
pivoting the essentially longitudinal core segments of each of the multipartite cores with the respective fiber composite layers to form open polygon cells with cell segments;
joining together the open polygonal cells alongside their cell segments to form a grid;
providing a layer of intersecting strips;
covering the cell segments with the layer of intersecting strips such that strips in the layer of intersecting strips cover the cell segments of the open polygon cells along each of the at least two different directions;
and mounting the grid onto an essentially planar skin sheet.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the step of sheathing the inner surfaces of the tripartite cores with the fiber composite layer includes at least partly also sheathing the upper and/or lower surfaces of the tripartite cores.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of sheathing the outer surface of the tripartite cores with the fiber composite layer includes at least partly also sheathing the upper and/or lower surfaces of the tripartite cores.

Assignees

• Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH

Inventors

• Fink Axel

Classifications

• B32B2266/02

  Organic · CPC title

• Y10T29/49904

  Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly · CPC title

• B29C70/68

  by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers {, e.g. foam blocks (mould constructions therefor B29C33/12; joining preformed parts by moulding B29C65/70)} · CPC title

• Y10T428/24149

  Honeycomb-like · CPC title

• B32B5/245

  another layer next to it being a foam layer · CPC title