Method for manufacturing a thin film structural system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815263-B2
Application number	US-201113273516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2011
Priority date	Jan 10, 2011
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a thin film structural system including a thin film structure includes depositing a reinforcing material in a liquid form in a predefined pattern on a thin film membrane, and transforming the reinforcing material in the predefined pattern to form a reinforcing element connected to the thin film membrane. The reinforcing material may be deposited in a melted form and solidified by cooling, may be transformed by a light or laser induced chemical reaction, or may be deposited and solidified such that the reinforcing element is at least partially embedded in the thin film membrane. The predefined pattern may redistribute loads around a damaged portion of the thin film structure, or define a hinge, a folding line, a stiffening feature. The reinforcing element may be electrically, optically or thermally conductive, to communicate with a device included in the system. The system may be a space structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a thin film structural system including a thin film structure, the method comprising:
depositing a liquid reinforcing material in a flowable state in a predefined pattern onto a thin film membrane, wherein the thin film membrane has a thickness, and wherein the liquid reinforcing material is deposited such that it at least partially penetrates the thickness of the membrane; and
transforming the liquid reinforcing material after it is deposited in the predefined pattern onto a thin film to form a non-conductive reinforcing element such that the reinforcing element is at least partially embedded within the thin film membrane;
wherein the thin film membrane and the reinforcing element form a thin film structure; and
wherein the liquid reinforcing material and the thin film membrane are transparent and both comprise a clear and colorless polymer material, and wherein the clear and colorless polymer material is the same in the liquid reinforcing material and the thin film membrane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is deposited in a melted form and solidified by cooling.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is transformed by a light induced chemical reaction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is substantially fully embedded within the thin film membrane.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid reinforcing material includes one or more constituent materials that increase the strength of the material, and wherein the predefined pattern is configured such that the reinforcing element resultant therefrom is configured to redistribute loads around a damaged portion of the membrane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is deposited in a predefined pattern configured to define at least one of a hinge, a hinge line, and a folding line.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is deposited in a predefined pattern configured to define at least one stiffening feature.

8. The method of claim 1 , further including:
forming a plurality of thin film structures, each of the respective thin film structures including a respective thin film membrane and a respective reinforcing element; and
joining at least two of the plurality of thin film structures.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the predefined pattern of the respective reinforcing element of at least one of the plurality of thin film structures is different from the predefined pattern of the respective reinforcing element of at least another of the plurality of thin film structures.

10. A method for manufacturing a structure including a thin film structural system, the method comprising:
depositing a reinforcing material in one of a melted and liquid form in a predefined pattern onto a thin film membrane, wherein the thin film membrane has a thickness, and wherein the reinforcing material is deposited such that it at least partially penetrates the thickness of the membrane;
transforming the reinforcing material in the predefined pattern by one of a cooling process and a light induced chemical reaction to form a non-conductive reinforcing element that is at least partially embedded within the thin film membrane;
wherein the thin film membrane and the reinforcing element form a thin film structure;
wherein the predefined pattern is configured such that the reinforcing element resultant therefrom is configured to redistribute loads around a damaged portion of the thin film structure; and
wherein the liquid reinforcing material and the thin film membrane are transparent and both comprise a clear and colorless polymer material, and wherein the clear and colorless polymer material is the same in the liquid reinforcing material and the thin film membrane.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
forming a plurality of thin film structures, each of the respective thin film structures including a respective thin film membrane and a respective reinforcing element; and
operatively joining at least two of the plurality of thin film structures;
wherein the predefined pattern of the respective reinforcing element of at least one of the plurality of thin film structures is different from the predefined pattern of the respective reinforcing element of at least another of the plurality of thin film structures.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the structure is configured as an expandable structure; and
the predefined pattern of the reinforcing element forms one of a local stiffening feature, a folding line, and a hinge line to facilitate one of packaging and deployment of the expandable structure.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing material is fully embedded within the thin film membrane.

Assignees

• Belvin Wendell Keith
• Sleight David W
• Connell John W
• Burns Thomas J
• Holloway Nancy M H
• Palmieri Frank L
• Wainwright Gary A
• Andrews Robert C
• Zander Martin Eckhard
• Nasa

Inventors

• Belvin Wendell Keith
• Sleight David W
• Connell John W
• Burns Thomas J
• Holloway Nancy M H
• Palmieri Frank L
• Wainwright Gary A
• Andrews Robert C
• Zander Martin Eckhard

Classifications

• Y10T428/31721

  Of polyimide · CPC title

• Y10T428/31504

  Composite [nonstructural laminate] · CPC title

• B32B2307/10

  having particular acoustical properties · CPC title

• B32B37/142 Primary

  Laminating of sheets, panels or inserts, e.g. stiffeners, by wrapping in at least one outer layer, or inserting into a preformed pocket · CPC title

• B29C70/747

  Applying material, e.g. foam, only in a limited number of places or in a pattern, e.g. to create a decorative effect · CPC title