Structural fabrics employing icosahedral elements and uses thereof

• US 20060160446A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lanahan Revocable Living Trust
• Original Assignee: Samuel J. Lanahan
• Inventors: Lanahan, Samuel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,452,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/59
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/19 Three-dimensional framework structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/1996 Tensile-integrity structures, i.e. structures comprising compression struts connected through flexible tension members, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/3223 Theorical polygonal geometry therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16S 3/08 forming frameworks, e.g. gratings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer

Abstract

Structural fabrics employing icosahedral elements and uses thereof. A structural fabric is provided, comprising a plurality of icosahedral elements, and a plurality of interconnecting elements, the icosahedral elements being interconnected by the interconnecting elements in tension so as to form an array of the icosahedral elements. A first interconnecting element may extend, on average, along a first Cartesian axis, a second interconnecting element may extend, on average, along a second Cartesian axis, and a third interconnecting element may extend, on average, along a third Cartesian axis. The icosahedral elements may be icoshadrons, or truncated icosahedrons. The interconnecting elements preferably are filaments or ribbons. A method for constructing a structural fabric is also provided, comprising providing a plurality of icosahedral elements, and interconnecting said icosohedral elements by a plurality of interconnecting elements in tension so as to form an array of said icosahedral elements.

Claims

1. A structural fabric, comprising:

a plurality of icosahedral elements; and

a plurality of interconnecting elements, said icosohedral elements being interconnected by said interconnecting elements in tension so as to form an array of said icosahedral elements.

2. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein a first interconnecting element extends, on average, along a first Cartesian axis, and wherein a second interconnecting element extends, on average, along a second Cartesian axis.

3. The structural fabric of claim 2, wherein a third interconnecting element extends, on average, along a third Cartesian axis.

4. The structural fabric of claim 3, wherein said interconnecting elements are connected to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so as to follow a path that oscillates about their respective Cartesian axes.

5. The structural fabric of claim 3, wherein said interconnecting elements are connected to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so that alternate icosahedral elements of said respective sets of icosahedral elements overlap, in opposite directions, respective Cartesian planes in which said respective Cartesian axes lie.

6. The structural fabric of claim 2, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal edges of said icosahedral elements.

7. The structural fabric of claim 2, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal faces of said icosahedral elements.

8. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said icosahedral elements are regular icosahedrons.

9. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said icosahedral elements are truncated regular icosahedrons.

10. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said icosahedral elements comprise elongate members connected together so as to form the edges of the icosahedral elements, said elongate members being relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

11. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said icosahedral elements are relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

12. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein at least one interconnecting element is connected to a set of said icosahedral elements so as to follow a path that oscillates about an average linear direction.

13. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein at least one interconnecting element is connected to a set of said icosahedral elements so as to extend, on average, along a plane, and alternate icosahedral elements of said set of icosahedral elements in a direction along said plane overlap said plane in opposite directions.

14. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise filaments.

15. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise ribbons.

16. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said array is substantially regular.

17. The structural fabric of claim 16, wherein said icosahedral elements are regular icosahedrons.

18. The structural fabric of claim 16, wherein said icosahedral elements are truncated regular icosahedrons.

19. The structural fabric of claim 16, wherein a first interconnecting element extends, on average, along a first Cartesian axis, a second interconnecting element extends, on average, along a second Cartesian axis, and a third interconnecting element extends, on average, along a third Cartesian axis.

20. The structural fabric of claim 19, wherein said interconnecting elements are connected to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so as to follow a path that oscillates about their respective Cartesian axes.

21. The structural fabric of claim 19, wherein said interconnecting elements are connected to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so that alternate icosahedral elements of said respective sets of icosahedral elements overlap, in opposite directions, respective Cartesian planes in which said respective Cartesian axes lie.

22. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said respective sets of icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal edges of said icosahedral elements.

23. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said respective sets of icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal faces of said icosahedral elements.

24. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said icosahedral elements comprise elongate members connected so as to form the edges of said icosahedral elements, said elongate members being relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

25. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said icosahedral elements are relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

26. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise filaments.

27. The structural fabric of claim 21, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise ribbons.

28. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said respective sets of icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal edges of said icosahedral elements.

29. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said interconnecting elements are attached to said respective sets of icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal faces of said icosahedral elements.

30. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said icosahedral elements comprise elongate members connected so as to form the edges of said icosahedral elements, said elongate members being relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

31. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said icosahedral elements are relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

32. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise filaments.

33. The structural fabric of claim 20, wherein said interconnecting elements comprise ribbons.

34. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein the interconnecting elements are attached at opposite ends thereof to anchoring members.

35. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein said icosahedral elements comprise fullerenes.

36. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein a first interconnecting element extends, on average, along a first Cartesian axis, a second interconnecting element extends, on average, along a second Cartesian axis, and a third interconnecting element extends, on average, along a third Cartesian axis, the extent of the fabric along one of said Cartesian axes being less than along the other two Cartesian axes so that the fabric forms a sheet.

37. The structural fabric of claim 1, wherein the lengths of sections of said interconnecting members between icosahedral elements are varied so that said fabric curves in a predetermined manner.

38. The structural fabric of claim 37, wherein the fabric forms a cylindrical body.

39. The structural fabric of claim 37, wherein the fabric form a barrel-shaped body.

40. A method for constructing a structural fabric, comprising:

providing a plurality of icosahedral elements; and

interconnecting said icosohedral elements by a plurality of interconnecting elements in tension so as to form an array of said icosahedral elements.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting comprises interconnecting a first interconnecting element so that it extends, on average, along a first Cartesian axis, and interconnecting a second interconnecting element so that it extends, on average, along a second Cartesian axis.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting a third interconnecting element so that it extends, on average, along a third Cartesian axis.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting said interconnecting elements to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so as to follow a path that oscillates about their respective Cartesian axes.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting said interconnecting elements to respective sets of said icosahedral elements so that alternate icosahedral elements of said respective sets of icosahedral elements overlap, in opposite directions, respective Cartesian planes in which said respective Cartesian axes lie.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting said interconnecting elements to said icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal edges of said icosahedral elements.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting said interconnecting elements to said icosahedral elements at respective orthogonal faces of said icosahedral elements.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein said providing icosahedral elements comprises providing regular icosahedrons.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein said providing icosahedral elements comprises providing truncated regular icosahedrons.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein said providing icosahedral elements comprises providing icosahedral elements that are relatively rigid compared to said interconnecting elements.

50. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting at least one interconnecting element to a set of said icosahedral elements so as to follow a path that oscillates about an average linear direction.

51. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting at least one interconnecting element to a set of said icosahedral elements so as to extend, on average, along a plane, and alternate icosahedral elements of said set of icosahedral elements in a direction along said plane overlap said plane in opposite directions.

52. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting comprises interconnecting said icosahedral elements with filaments.

53. The method of claim 40, wherein said interconnecting further comprises interconnecting said icosahedral elements with ribbons.