Grid structure with sinuous interstices
First Claim
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1. A method of fabricating a grid structure having sinuous interstices defined by intersecting grid sections, said intersecting grid sections having specified undulate surfaces, said method comprising:
- a) arranging filamentary material according to a predetermined pattern to form generally planar intersecting grid sections;
b) inserting cocoons made of filamentary material into corresponding interstices defined by said generally planar intersecting grid sections, the filamentary material of said cocoons in said interstices extending transversely with respect to the filamentary material that is arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections;
c) inserting expandable mandrels into corresponding cocoons, said mandrels having undulate surfaces conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated;
d) expanding said mandrels within said corresponding cocoons so as to compress the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections, said mandrels when expanded thereby converting said compressed filamentary material into intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces, the undulate surfaces of said intersecting grid sections conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated;
e) causing said compressed filamentary material that has been converted into said intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces to be impregnated substantially uniformly with a matrix material;
f) causing said matrix material that has impregnated said compressed filamentary material to cure, thereby forming said grid structure having sinuous interstices; and
g) removing said mandrels from said sinuous interstices after said matrix material has cured.
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Abstract
A grid structure with sinuous interstices comprises intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces. The intersecting grid sections of the grid structure are made of a composite material consisting of fibers (e.g., graphite fibers) embedded in a matrix (e.g., epoxy resin).
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a grid structure having sinuous interstices defined by intersecting grid sections, said intersecting grid sections having specified undulate surfaces, said method comprising:
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a) arranging filamentary material according to a predetermined pattern to form generally planar intersecting grid sections; b) inserting cocoons made of filamentary material into corresponding interstices defined by said generally planar intersecting grid sections, the filamentary material of said cocoons in said interstices extending transversely with respect to the filamentary material that is arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections; c) inserting expandable mandrels into corresponding cocoons, said mandrels having undulate surfaces conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated; d) expanding said mandrels within said corresponding cocoons so as to compress the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections, said mandrels when expanded thereby converting said compressed filamentary material into intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces, the undulate surfaces of said intersecting grid sections conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated; e) causing said compressed filamentary material that has been converted into said intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces to be impregnated substantially uniformly with a matrix material; f) causing said matrix material that has impregnated said compressed filamentary material to cure, thereby forming said grid structure having sinuous interstices; and g) removing said mandrels from said sinuous interstices after said matrix material has cured. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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- 6. A grid structure comprising a plurality of grid sections that intersect each other to define interstices, said intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces.
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13. A grid structure having sinuous interstices defined by intersecting grid sections, said intersecting grid sections having specified undulate surfaces, said grid structure being fabricated by a process comprising:
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a) arranging filamentary material according to a predetermined pattern to form generally planar intersecting grid sections; b) inserting cocoons made of filamentary material into corresponding interstices defined by said generally planar intersecting grid sections, the filamentary material of said cocoons in said interstices extending transversely with respect to the filamentary material that is arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections; c) inserting expandable mandrels into corresponding cocoons, said mandrels having undulate surfaces conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated; d) expanding said mandrels within said corresponding cocoons so as to compress the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections, said mandrels when expanded thereby converting said compressed filamentary material into intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces, the undulate surfaces of said intersecting grid sections conforming generally to the undulate surfaces specified for the intersecting grid sections of the grid structure that is to be fabricated; e) causing said compressed filamentary material that has been converted into said intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces to be impregnated substantially uniformly with a matrix material; f) causing said matrix material that has impregnated said compressed filamentary material to cure, thereby forming said grid structure having sinuous interstices; and g) removing said mandrels from said sinuous interstices after said matrix material has cured. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for fabricating a grid structure that has sinuous interstices defined by intersecting grid sections, said intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a loom comprising; (i) a base member; and (ii) a plurality of posts mounted on said base member, said posts being fixedly positioned with respect to each other so that filamentary material wound around said posts according to a predetermined pattern forms generally planar intersecting grid sections that define interstices into which hollow cocoons made of filamentary material can be inserted; b) a plurality of comb plates, each of said comb plates having tooth portions with gaps between adjacent tooth portions, said comb plates being dimensioned for placement with respect to said posts so that portions of the filamentary material wound around said posts extend through said gaps between adjacent tooth portions of said comb plates; c) a plurality of expandable mandrels insertable into the hollow cocoons in corresponding interstices defined by said generally planar intersecting grid sections, said mandrels when expanded causing the filamentary material wound around said posts and the filamentary material of said hollow cocoons to be compressed together so as to form intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces; d) a top plate securable to said comb plates so as to bear against said mandrels, said top plate having a closable aperture through which a matrix material can be introduced to impregnate the compressed filamentary material forming the intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces; e) means for applying force to said top plate so as to cause said mandrels to expand, thereby compressing the filamentary material wound around said posts and the filamentary material of said hollow cocoons so as to form the intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces; and f) means for applying force to said comb plates so as to compress the filamentary material wound around said posts and the filamentary material of said hollow cocoons. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for fabricating a grid structure having sinuous interstices defined by intersecting grid sections, said intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces, said apparatus comprising:
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a) a loom comprising; (i) a base member defining a central aperture; and (ii) a plurality of posts fixedly positioned with respect to each other adjacent the central aperture of said base member so that filamentary material wound around said posts according to a predetermined pattern forms generally planar intersecting grid sections within a volume over the central aperture of said base member, said generally planar intersecting grid sections defining interstices in which hollow cocoons of generally cylindrical configuration made of filamentary material can be inserted; b) a floor plate dimensioned so that a peripheral portion of said floor plate can be supported on a portion of said base member circumjacent the central aperture of said base member, said floor plate thereby forming a bottom for the volume over the central aperture of said base member; c) a plurality of comb plates securable to said floor plate, each of said comb plates having tooth portions with gaps between adjacent tooth portions, said comb plates being dimensioned for placement between said posts and the central aperture of said base member so that said comb plates form sides for the volume over the central aperture of said base member, portions of said generally planar intersecting grid sections extending from the volume over the central aperture of said base member through said gaps between adjacent tooth portions of said comb plates so as to wind around said posts; d) a plurality of expandable mandrels insertable into the hollow cocoons in corresponding interstices defined by said generally planar intersecting grid sections within the volume over the central aperture of said base member, each mandrel comprising; (i) a plurality of die-plate components held together by spring means to form an elongate hollow structure, said die-plate components having undulate surface portions forming outer surfaces of said hollow structure of the mandrel; and (ii) an expander bolt extending longitudinally into said hollow structure of the mandrel, said expander bolt being movable so as to cause said die-plate components to move laterally outward, thereby causing the outer surfaces of said hollow structure of the mandrel to press the corresponding cocoon in the corresponding interstice into contact with surface portions of the generally planar intersecting grid sections that define the corresponding interstice, said die-plate components thereby compressing the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections so as to convert the compressed filamentary material to intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces; e) a top plate securable to said comb plates, said top plate forming a top for the volume over the central aperture of said base member, said top plate together with said comb plates and said floor plate forming a box enclosing the volume over the central aperture of said base member, said box containing the compressed filamentary material forming the intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces, said top plate having a closable aperture through which a matrix material can be introduced into the volume over the central aperture of said base member so as to impregnate the compressed filamentary material forming the intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces; f) means for applying force to said top plate so as to cause said top plate to move the expander bolts within said hollow structures of said mandrels, thereby causing said die-plate components of said mandrels to move laterally outward so as to compress the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections; g) means for applying force to said comb plates so as to compress the filamentary material of said cocoons together with the filamentary material arranged to form said generally planar intersecting grid sections; h) means by which said box containing the compressed filamentary material forming the intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces can be removed from said loom; and i) means for curing the matrix material impregnating the intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces within said box, said intersecting grid sections with undulate surfaces thereby becoming said grid structure having sinuous interstices. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of forming a pattern for use in fabricating die-plate components having undulate surfaces, said method comprising:
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a) placing a plurality of substantially identical wafers on a base member to form a stack of said wafers, a proximal end of a stem member of specified transverse cross section being secured to said base member, each of said wafers having a central aperture that is larger than the specified transverse cross section of said stem member, said wafers being positioned one on top of another on said base member so that said stem member passes through the central aperture of each of said wafers; b) transversely displacing said stacked wafers by different amounts with respect to said stem member so that surface portions of said stack assume undulate configurations corresponding to the undulate surfaces specified for the die-plate components to be fabricated; and c) securing a fastening means to a distal end of said stem member so as to secure said wafers rigidly with respect to each other in said stack so that said surface portions of said stack retain said undulate configurations corresponding to the undulate surfaces specified for the die-plate components to be fabricated.
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39. A pattern for use in fabricating die-plate components having specified undulate surfaces, said pattern comprising:
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a ) a base member; b) an elongate stem member of specified transverse cross section, a proximal end of said stem member being secured to said base member; c) a plurality of wafers that are substantially identical to each other, each of said wafers having a central aperture that is larger than the specified transverse cross section of said stem member, said wafers being positioned one on top of another on said base member so that said stem member passes through the central aperture of each of said wafers, said wafers thereby forming a stack, said wafers being transversely displaced by different amounts with respect to said stem member so that surface portions of said stack assume undulate configurations corresponding to the undulate surfaces specified for the die-plate components to be fabricated; and d) fastening means secured to a distal end of said stem member so as to secure said wafers rigidly with respect to each other in said stack so that said surface portions of said stack retain said undulate configurations corresponding to the undulate surfaces specified for the die-plate components to be fabricated.
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40. A spreading tool for insertion into a cocoon positioned in an interstice defined by generally planar intersecting grid sections, said spreading tool being laterally expandable to press portions of said cocoon into contact with corresponding portions of said intersecting grid sections defining corner portions of said interstice, said spreading tool comprising:
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a) four corner components and four wedge components held together by spring means to form an elongate hollow structure, said four corner components being positioned with respect to each other to function as corners of said hollow structure, each of said wedge components being positioned between a corresponding pair of said corner components; and b) an expander bolt extending longitudinally into said hollow structure, said expander bolt being movable so as to cause said four corner components to move laterally outward, thereby pressing said portions of said cocoon into contact with said corresponding portions of said intersecting grid sections.
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- 41. An assemblage of interlocking grid structures, each of said grid structures comprising a plurality of grid sections that intersect each other to define sinuous interstices, said intersecting grid sections having undulate surfaces.
Specification