Bi-stable material to develop stowable high strength column

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580907-B2
Application number	US-201414581396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A stowable, load-bearing apparatus is disclosed having at least two bi-stable strips. Each of the bi-stable strips is alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature and a coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity. The two bi-stable strips are intercoiled when in the coiled conformation, have opposing lateral curvature relative to one another when in the extended conformation, and when extended are directed into a load-bearing alignment by a structural alignment member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stowable support apparatus, comprising:
a first bi-stable member, the first bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity; an extended portion of the first bi-stable member having a concave surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the first bi-stable member and a convex surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the first bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation;
a second bi-stable member, the second bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity; the second bi-stable member comprising first and second layers, at least one of the first and second layers comprising an auxetic material; the first and second layers configured such that an extended portion of the second bi-stable member has a convex surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the second bi-stable member and a concave surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the second bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and
at least one flexible fastener, separate from the first and second bi-stable members, affixed to adjacent lateral edges of the first and second bi-stable members in both the extended conformation and the coiled conformation.

2. The stowable support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible fastener is configured to guide the first and second bi-stable members into proper alignment relative to one another for load support upon extension.

3. The stowable support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flexible fastener comprises at least one of a hinge and a flexible membrane.

4. The stowable support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second bi-stable members alternate between the extended and coiled conformation in tandem, and are intercoiled when in the coiled conformation.

5. The stowable support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second bi-stable members each respectively define continuous, linearly extending, longitudinal edges that are aligned and adjacent with one another in the extended conformation.

6. A method for making a stowable support apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a first bi-stable member, the first bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity;
providing a second bi-stable member, the second bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity;
joining the first and second bi-stable members with at least one structural alignment member configured to join the first and second bi-stable members when they are in either the extended conformation or the coiled conformation,

wherein the first bi-stable member and the second bi-stable member have an opposing lateral curvature relationship relative to one another; wherein an extended portion of the first bi-stable member has a concave surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the first bi-stable member and a convex surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the first bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and wherein an extended portion of the second bi-stable member has a convex surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the second bi-stable member and a concave surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the second bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when the first and second bi-stable members are in an extended conformation, convex surfaces of the first and second bi-stable members contact one another.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the first bi-stable member is further characterized in that the first bi-stable member comprises an auxetic material, or providing the second bi-stable member is further characterized in that the second bi-stable member comprises an auxetic material.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the structural alignment member comprises a flexible encapsulator, and the joining step comprises engaging the flexible encapsulator about the first and second bi-stable members while the first and second bi-stable members are in the extended conformation.

9. The method of claim 6 , further including a step of intercoiling the first and second bi-stable members.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the structural alignment member comprises a flexible fastener, and the joining step comprises affixing the flexible fastener to adjacent lateral edges of the first and second bi-stable members while the first and second bi-stable members are in either of the extended conformation or the coiled conformation.

11. A stowable support apparatus, comprising:
a first bi-stable member, the first bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity;
a second bi-stable member, the second bi-stable member being alternatable between a stable, extended conformation having longitudinal linearity and lateral curvature, and a stable, coiled conformation having longitudinal curvature and lateral linearity; and
at least one flexible encapsulator surrounding or encapsulating at least a portion of the first and second bi-stable members in both the extended conformation and the coiled conformation,

wherein the first bi-stable member and the second bi-stable member have an opposing lateral curvature relationship relative to one another; wherein an extended portion of the first bi-stable member has a concave surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the first bi-stable member and a convex surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the first bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and wherein an extended portion of the second bi-stable member has a convex surface facing in a direction of a coiled portion of the second bi-stable member and a concave surface facing away from the direction of the coiled portion when the second bi-stable member is in a partly extended and partly coiled conformation; and wherein the apparatus is configured so that, when each of the first and second bi-stable members is in the extended conformation, convex surfaces of the first and second bi-stable members contact one another.

12. The stowable support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the flexible encapsulator directs the apparatus into a load bearing conformation when the first and second bi-stable members are present in the extended conformation.

13. The stowable support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein either of the first and second bi-stable members comprises an auxetic material.

14. The stowable support apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first and second bi-stable members alternate between the extended and coiled conformation in tandem, and are intercoiled when in the coiled conformation.

15. The stowable support apparatus of claim 14 ,

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Eng & Mfg North America Inc

Inventors

• Gandhi Umesh N

Classifications

• E04C3/005 Primary

  Girders or columns that are rollable, collapsible or otherwise adjustable in length or height (girders as supporting members for forms E04G11/54) · CPC title

• E04H12/18

  movable or with movable sections, e.g. rotatable or telescopic · CPC title

• B64G1/22

  Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles · CPC title

• B29C53/20

  of tubes · CPC title

• B64G9/00

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic