Shape-formable apparatus comprising locking sheets
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsThomas R. Corrigan, Marc A. Egeland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shape-formable apparatus comprising locking sheets. The apparatus can have a first state in which the apparatus is formable, and a second state in which the apparatus has the desired shape and is substantially less formable than in the first state. The apparatus can further include an envelope defining a chamber, a port positioned to fluidly couple the chamber with ambience, and at least two locking sheets positioned in the chamber in an at least partially overlapping configuration. Each locking sheet comprises a major surface, and at least a portion of each locking sheet can be patterned to include solid regions and open regions, the solid regions being movable with respect to one another within the major surface.
Claims19
A shape-formable apparatus comprising:
- an envelope defining a chamber, the envelope formed of a gas-impermeable material;
- a port positioned to fluidly couple the chamber with ambience;
- and
- at least two locking sheets positioned in the chamber in an at least partially overlapping configuration, wherein each locking sheet comprises a major surface, and wherein at least a portion of each locking sheet is patterned to include solid regions and open regions, the solid regions within a single locking sheet being movable with respect to one another through the major surface, wherein the solid regions of at least one locking sheet are formed of a material having an effective tensile modulus (Eo), and wherein the solid regions and open regions are arranged in the at least one locking sheet such that the at least one locking sheet has an overall effective tensile modulus (El), and wherein the ratio of Eo/El for the at least one locking sheet is at least 2,
- wherein the apparatus can be changed from a first state to a second state by at least partially evacuating the chamber, in the first state the apparatus is formable, such that the apparatus can be formed into a desired shape, and in the second state the apparatus has the desired shape and is substantially less formable than in the first state.
A shape-formable apparatus comprising:
- an envelope defining a chamber, the envelope formed of a gas-impermeable material;
- a port positioned to fluidly couple the chamber with ambience;
- and
- at least two locking sheets positioned in the chamber in an at least partially overlapping configuration, wherein each locking sheet comprises a major surface, and wherein at least a portion of each locking sheet is patterned to include solid regions and open regions, the solid regions within a single locking sheet being movable with respect to one another through the major surface,
- wherein the at least two locking sheets includes a first locking sheet comprising a first surface oriented to face a second locking sheet and a second locking sheet comprising a second surface oriented to face the first locking sheet, wherein the first surface includes a plurality of first engagement features, and wherein the second surface includes a plurality of second engagement features configured to engage the plurality of first engagement features, and
- wherein the apparatus can be changed from a first state to a second state by at least partially evacuating the chamber, in the first state the apparatus is formable, such that the apparatus can be formed into a desired shape, and in the second state the apparatus has the desired shape and is substantially less formable than in the first state.
A shape-formable apparatus comprising:
- an envelope defining a chamber, the envelope formed of a gas-impermeable material;
- a port positioned to fluidly couple the chamber with ambience;
- and
- at least two locking sheets positioned in the chamber in an at least partially overlapping configuration, wherein each locking sheet comprises a major surface, and wherein at least a portion of each locking sheet is patterned to include solid regions and open regions, the solid regions within a single locking sheet being movable with respect to one another through the major surface,
- wherein at least one locking sheet includes continuous solid regions, the solid regions include a plurality of islands and one or more bridges positioned to connect adjacent islands, wherein each bridge includes at least one bend, and
- wherein the apparatus can be changed from a first state to a second state by at least partially evacuating the chamber, in the first state the apparatus is formable, such that the apparatus can be formed into a desired shape, and in the second state the apparatus has the desired shape and is substantially less formable than in the first state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.