Composite lattice beam

A composite lattice beam, the composite lattice beam comprising:

• a first bay;
• and
• a second bay, wherein a first end of the second bay is attached to a second end of the first bay;
• a first end cap on a first end of the first bay, wherein the first end of the first bay is opposite the second end of the first bay;
• a second end cap on a second end of the second bay, wherein the second end of the second bay is opposite the first end of the second bay;
• a first longitudinal, wherein the first longitudinal:
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• a second longitudinal, wherein the second longitudinal:
• is parallel to the first longitudinal;
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• a third longitudinal, wherein the third longitudinal:
• is parallel to each of the first longitudinal and the second longitudinal;
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• a fourth longitudinal, wherein the fourth longitudinal:
• is parallel to each of the first longitudinal, the second longitudinal and the third longitudinal;
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• a fifth longitudinal, wherein the fifth longitudinal:
• is parallel to each of the first longitudinal, the second longitudinal, the third longitudinal and the fourth longitudinal;
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• a sixth longitudinal, wherein the sixth longitudinal:
• is parallel to each of the first longitudinal, the second longitudinal, the third longitudinal, the fourth longitudinal and the fifth longitudinal;
• extends from the first end cap to the second end cap through the first bay and the second bay;
• and
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• wherein the first longitudinal, second longitudinal, third longitudinal, fourth longitudinal, fifth longitudinal and sixth longitudinal have a rectangular cross-section, wherein:
• the first longitudinal forms a first corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• the second longitudinal forms a second corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• the third longitudinal forms a third corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• the fourth longitudinal forms a fourth corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• the fifth longitudinal is on a first edge of the rectangular cross-section formed by the first corner and the second corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• and
• the sixth longitudinal is on a second edge of the rectangular cross-section formed by the third corner and the fourth corner of the rectangular cross-section;
• a first outer diagonal, wherein first outer diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the first longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the second longitudinal;
• and
• passes through the fifth longitudinal;
• a second outer diagonal, wherein the second outer diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the second longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the first longitudinal;
• and
• passes through the fifth longitudinal;
• a third outer diagonal, wherein the third outer diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• extends from a node at the intersection of the second end cap and the first longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the second longitudinal;
• and
• passes through the fifth longitudinal;
• a fourth outer diagonal, wherein the fourth outer diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• extends from a node at the intersection of the second end cap and the second longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the first longitudinal;
• and
• passes through the fifth longitudinal;
• a first inner diagonal, wherein the first inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from the node at the intersection of the first end cap and the first longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the sixth longitudinal;
• a second inner diagonal, wherein the second inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the fifth longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the third longitudinal;
• a third inner diagonal, wherein the third inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from the node at the intersection of the first end cap and the fifth longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the fourth longitudinal;
• a fourth inner diagonal, wherein the fourth inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from the node at the intersection of the first end cap and the second longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the sixth longitudinal;
• a fifth inner diagonal, wherein the fifth inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the third longitudinal to a node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the fifth longitudinal;
• a sixth inner diagonal, wherein the sixth inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the sixth longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the first longitudinal;
• a seventh inner diagonal, wherein the seventh inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from the node at the intersection of the first end cap and the sixth longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the second longitudinal;
• an eighth inner diagonal, wherein the eighth inner diagonal:
• includes a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• and
• extends from a node at the intersection of the first end cap and the fourth longitudinal to the node at the intersection of the first bay, the second bay and the fifth longitudinal;
• wherein each node includes an interweaving of all tows that intersect at the node;
• wherein each tow and each node are consolidated after interweaving, wherein consolidation of each tow and each node includes:
• applying radial pressure to eliminate gaps between fibers;
• and
• curing the resin.

A method for producing a composite lattice beam, the method comprising:

• providing four or more unconsolidated longitudinals in a rectangular pattern, wherein the four or more longitudinals:
• are parallel to one another;
• comprise the four corners of a rectangle;
• and
• each include a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• interweaving multiple unconsolidated diagonals with the four or more longitudinals, wherein the multiple unconsolidated diagonals include:
• one or more outer diagonals, wherein the one or more outer diagonals:
• vary in two dimensions;
• and
• each include a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers intermixed with a resin;
• one or more inner diagonals, wherein the one or more inner diagonals:
• vary in three dimensions;
• and
• each include a tow, wherein the tow includes a bundle of untwisted fibers;
• and
• wherein each point of interweaving between the longitudinal and one or more of the multiple diagonals forms a node;
• consolidating each of the tows and each node after interweaving, wherein consolidating each of the tows and each node includes:
• applying a wrap to each of the tows and each node;
• and
• applying heat to the wrap, causing the wrap to shrink;
• wherein the shrinkage of the wrap applies radial pressure to eliminate gaps between fibers;
• and
• curing the resin.