Engineered Molded Fiberboard Panels. Methods of Making the Panels, and Products Fabricated From the Panels

• US 20100078985A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noble Environmental Technologies Corporation, United States Department Of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Inventors: Gu, Hongmei, Noble, Robert, Newburn, Timothy L., Lassegard, Coleen M., Mahoney, James F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,475,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/446.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 5/005 of paper, cardboard or similar pliable material
• CPC Class Codes: B27F 1/00 Dovetailed work; Tenons; Making tongues or grooves slotting B27F5/00; Groove- and- tongue jointed work; Finger- joints machines or devices for working mitred joints B27G5/00; cutting tools for cutting grooves or tenons B27G13/14
• CPC Class Codes: B27H 1/00 Bending wood stock, e.g. boards
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 5/00 Manufacture of non-flat articles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/02 the layer being formed of fibres, chips, or particles , e.g. MDF, HDF, OSB, chipboard, particle board, hardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/10 Next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 21/13 all layers being exclusively wood
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/50 having particular mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/718 Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/00 Buildings or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/00 Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/10 characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/12 characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0004 Cutting, tearing or severing, e.g. bursting; Cutter details cutting in general B26D; laminating combined with punching or perforating B32B38/04; removing all or part of the layers B32B38/10; cutting in combination with laying up and registration B32B38/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/22 : characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/05 : the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: D21J 1/04 : Pressing
• CPC Class Codes: D21J 1/16 : Special fibreboard
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/16 : of fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/322 : with parallel corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/3405 : spaced apart by profiled spacer sheets
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/365 : by honeycomb structures
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2002/3455 : with trapezoidal corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/16 : of fibres or chips, e.g. bonded with synthetic resins , or with an outer layer of fibres or chips E04F13/0864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2203/04 : comprising a plurality of internal elongated cavities arranged in substantially parallel rows
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2203/08 : with a plurality of grooves or slits in the back side, to increase the flexibility or bendability of the elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 : with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 : Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1075 : of plural laminae from single stock and assembling to each other or to additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1303 : Paper containing [e.g., paperboard, cardboard, fiberboard, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1348 : Cellular material derived from plant or animal source [e.g., wood, cotton, wool, leather, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/236 : Honeycomb type cells extend perpendicularly to nonthickness layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24083 : Nonlinear strands or strand-portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24149 : Honeycomb-like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24165 : Hexagonally shaped cavities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24314 : Slit or elongated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24694 : Parallel corrugations

Abstract

A honeycomb-shaped panel is formed from a plurality of generally sinusoidally shaped strips of molded fiberboard material each having spaced, oppositely directed flat peaks, the peaks of adjacent strips being secured together to form a plurality of hexagonally shaped cells extending perpendicular to the surfaces of the sheet. The strips may be cut from a single sheet of corrugated fiberboard sheet material and then secured together to form the honeycomb panel, or a plurality of such panels may be secured together face to face with their ribs aligned to form a stack, and selected cuts may be made through the secured, stacked panels to form a plurality of honeycomb panels of desired surface shape and height dimensions. The strips forming the cells are substantially rigid and resistant to collapse of the cells, and form a substantially rigid core when assembled between two flexible fiberboard skins, while the panel is bendable to adopt a desired panel curvature.

Claims

15. A construction panel, comprising:

first and second layers of flat molded fiberboard material, each layer having an outer face and an inner face and the inner faces of the layers being spaced apart; and

a plurality of separate strips of molded fiberboard material in the shape of at least part of a wave, each strip having opposite edges secured to the inner faces of the first and second layers, respectively, whereby the wave shapes extend generally in a direction parallel to the plane of the panel and the separate strips form a plurality of spaced ribs extending between the first and second layers.

16. The panel of claim 15, wherein at least some of the strips are of different lengths.

17. The panel of claim 15, wherein a greater number of strips are secured in selected panel areas.

18. The panel of claim 18, further comprising a second, identical sheet of corrugated fiberboard material secured to the first sheet with opposing inner peaks of the two sheets adhered together, a first flat sheet of molded fiberboard material secured to the outer peaks of the first corrugated sheet and a second flat sheet of molded fiberboard material secured to the outer peaks of the second corrugated sheet.

19. A method of forming a fiberboard panel, comprising the steps of:

making a series of spaced cuts at least one sheet of molded, corrugated fiberboard material having a plurality of alternating ribs and grooves, the cuts extending transversely across the sheet to form a plurality of wave-shaped strips having alternating flat peaks on opposite faces connected by inclined webs;

positioning the strips side-by-side with the flat peaks of adjacent strips aligned face-to-face and oriented parallel to one another, whereby the strips together form a generally honeycomb shaped array; and

adhering the opposing flat peaks of the adjacent cells together to form a honeycomb-shaped sheet having a plurality of hexagonal cells.

1. A panel, comprising:

a honeycomb-shaped sheet having opposite first and second surfaces and a peripheral edge;

the sheet comprising a plurality of generally sinusoidally shaped strips of molded fiberboard material each having spaced, oppositely directed flat peaks, the peaks of adjacent strips being secured together to form a plurality of hexagonally shaped cells extending perpendicular to the surfaces of the sheet; and

the assembled strips being substantially rigid in directions transverse and parallel to the cells and the cells being resistant to collapse.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the sheet has opposite flat faces and is bendable into a selected curved shape.

3. The panel of claim 2, further comprising first and second outer flat layers of molded fiberboard material secured to the first and second faces of the sheet.

4. The panel of claim 3, wherein the sheet and outer layers are flat.

5. The panel of claim 3, wherein the sheet and outer layers are formed into a curved shape.

6. The panel of claim 5, wherein the curved shape is a compound curve.

7. The panel of claim 5, wherein the curved shape includes oppositely directed curves.

8. The panel of claim 1, wherein at least the first face of the sheet is curved.

9. The panel of claim 8, wherein the second face of the sheet is flat.

10. The panel of claim 9, further comprising first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard sheet material secured over the first and second faces of the sheet, respectively, the first outer layer being curved to match the curvature of the first face of the sheet.

11. The panel of claim 1, wherein at least the first face of the sheet is inclined at an angle.

12. The panel of claim 11, further comprising first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard sheet material secured over the first and second faces of the sheet, respectively.

13. The panel of claim 1, wherein the sheet is formed from at least one cellulose fiber material.

14. The panel of claim 13, wherein the sheet is formed from a mixture of bovine processed fiber (BPF) and old newspaper (ONP).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one cut edge of each strip is cut in a direction non-parallel to the opposite cut edge of the strip, whereby the sheet formed from the strips has at least one non flat face.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the strip edges are cut such that the sheet has one curved face.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the strip edges are cut such that the sheet has opposite curved faces.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the strip edges are cut such that the sheet has one angled face and is generally triangular in cross-section.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising securing first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard sheet material over the first and second faces of the sheet.

22-1. The method of claim 20, wherein the strip edges are cut such that the sheet has one faceted face.

25. A method of forming a fiberboard panel, comprising the steps of:

positioning a plurality of molded corrugated fiberboard sheets face to face to form a stack of sheets, each sheet having opposite faces each having a plurality of alternating, longitudinally extending ribs and grooves extending along the length of the sheet, the ribs on the first face each having a first peak and the ribs on the second face each having a second peak facing in the opposite direction to the first peaks;

aligning the peaks on opposing faces of each pair of adjacent sheets in the stack;

adhering the aligned peaks of each pair of adjacent sheets together to form a plurality of generally hexagonal cells extending along the length of the stacked sheets; and

cutting generally transversely through the stack at a plurality of selected spaced locations along the length of the stack to form a plurality of separate, honeycomb shaped panels.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the cuts through the stack are parallel to one another.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one cut through the stack is in a non-straight direction, whereby the panel face formed by said one cut is a non flat face.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said one cut is curved and the non-flat panel face is curved.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein at least two adjacent cuts through the stack are curved and the panel formed between the adjacent curved cuts has opposing curved faces.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said one cut forms a faceted panel face.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said one cut is at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the stack and an adjacent cut is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, whereby a panel formed by said adjacent cuts has a first flat face and a second angled face.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising securing first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard sheet material over opposite faces of the honeycomb-shaped panel.

33. A multi-ply panel assembly, comprising:

first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard material;

a flexible core layer secured between the outer layers;

the assembled layers of the panel being bent to form at least one curve;

the core layer comprising an elongated sheet of molded fiberboard material of corrugated shape having opposite first and second faces and opposite side edges, each face having a plurality of alternating, longitudinally extending ribs and grooves extending along the length of the sheet, the ribs on the first face each having a first peak and the ribs on the second face each having a second peak facing in the opposite direction to the first peaks;

the sheet having at least one slotted portion which has a plurality of spaced slits cut through the ribs of at least one face and terminating short of the opposite face; and

the assembled multi-layer panel being formed into at least one curve at said one, slotted portion.

34. The multi-ply panel assembly of claim 33, wherein the panel assembly is curved to form a closed, generally tubular shape.

35. A multi-ply panel assembly, comprising:

first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard material;

a core layer secured between the outer layers;

the assembled layers of the panel being bent to form at least one curve;

the core layer comprising a sheet of molded fiberboard material of corrugated shape having opposite first and second faces and opposite side edges, each face having a plurality of alternating ribs and grooves extending in a first direction along the sheet, the sheet being positioned between the outer layers with the ribs and grooves extending transverse to the curve.

36. The assembly of claim 35, wherein the panel assembly is curved to form a closed, generally tubular shape.

37. A fiberboard product, comprising:

a single multi-ply panel having first and second outer layers of flexible flat fiberboard material and a core layer of flexible flat fiberboard material secured between the outer layers, the layers being flexible prior to assembly and the assembled layers being substantially rigid;

the core layer including fiberboard sheet portions with voids between the portions;

the panel being cut and shaped to form a product having at least one curve.

38. The product of claim 37, wherein the panel is shaped to form a tubular object.

39. The product of claim 38, further comprising a flat panel secured to an open end of the tubular object to form a bin.

40. The product of claim 37, wherein the single panel is cut and shaped to form a chair having a continuous arcuate back and seat portion, a left front and rear leg formed as a continuous curve extending from the seat portion in opposite directions down to a selected floor level at the front and rear of the chair, and a right front and rear leg formed as a continuous curve extending from the seat portion in opposite directions down to the selected floor level at the front and rear of the chair.

41. The product of claim 40, wherein the core layer comprises a sheet of molded fiberboard material of corrugated shape having opposite first and second faces, each face having a plurality of alternating ribs and grooves extending in a first direction along the sheet.

42. The product of claim 41, wherein the sheet is oriented with the ribs and grooves extending transversely across the chair.

43. The product of claim 41, wherein the ribs and grooves extend lengthwise along the chair from the back to the seat and legs, and the sheet has a plurality of slotted portions positioned at curve locations in the chair, each slotted portion comprising a plurality of spaced slots extending transversely through the ribs in one face of the sheet and terminating short of the opposite face of the sheet.

44. The product of claim 43, wherein each slotted portion has slots which face inwardly relative to the curve in the chair where the slotted portion is located.

45. The product of claim 37, wherein the core layer comprises a honeycomb shaped sheet of molded fiberboard material having a plurality of hexagonal cells oriented transverse to the outer layers.

46. A tubular product, comprising:

a sheet of molded fiberboard material of corrugated shape having opposite first and second faces and opposite ends, each face having a plurality of alternating ribs and grooves extending in a first direction along the sheet, and a plurality of spaced slits extending across the ribs in the first face and terminating short of the outer ends of the ribs in the second face;

the sheet being formed into a closed tubular shape with the first face facing inwards into the tube, whereby the tubular product has alternating ribs and grooves along its length.

47. The tubular product of claim 46, wherein the sheet is formed into a spiraling tubular shape.

48. The tubular product of claim 46, wherein the sheet is formed into a cylindrical tubular shape.

49. The tubular product of claim 48, further comprising an annular strip of flexible flat material secured in each groove in the outer face of the tubular shape.

50. The tubular product of claim 46, wherein the sheet is formed into a rectangular tubular shape having four corner regions.

51. The tubular product of claim 50, wherein the slits are formed in spaced slotted regions of the sheet only, each slotted region corresponding to a respective corner region.

52. A multi-layer fiberboard panel, comprising:

first and second core layers of corrugated fiberboard sheet material having a plurality of ribs and grooves, the core layers positioned with their ribs and grooves extending parallel to one another and the ribs of the first layer aligned and adhered with the ribs of the second core layer;

third and fourth layers of flat molded fiberboard material, the third layer having an inner face secured to the outer face of the first core layer and the fourth layer having an inner face secured to the outer face of the second core layer;

fifth and sixth layers of corrugated fiberboard sheet material secured to the outer faces of the second and third layers, respectively, the fourth and fifth layers having a plurality of ribs and grooves extending parallel tone another; and

seventh and eighth layers of flat molded fiberboard material secured to the outer faces of the fifth and sixth layers, respectively.

53. The multi-layer panel of claim 52, wherein the ribs and grooves of the fifth and sixth layers extend perpendicular to the ribs and grooves of the first and second core layers.