Interlocking braided structures
AssigneeA&P Technology, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Head, Victor M. Ivers, Alexandra G. Ivers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite structural component including a braided material embedded in a resin matrix. the braided material with multiple braided components formed of continuous tows and connected by one or more intersections are described. Each of the multiple braided components is formed by sets of tows. Each set of tows includes a respective plurality of tows, which are substantially adjacent and parallel to each other at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the braided material. Each set of tows is further composed of multiple subsets of tows. The subsets of tows separate at the intersections and combine with different subsets of tows in adjacent components of the multiple braided components.
Claims10
A composite structural component including a braided material embedded in a resin matrix, the braided material comprising a plurality of sets of tows formed in a repeating braiding pattern along a longitudinal axis of the braided material, and in at least one pattern of the repeating braiding pattern, the composite structural component comprising:
- a first braided component of the braided material, the first braided component including a first set of tows of the plurality of sets of tows intertwined with a second set of tows of the plurality of sets of tows, each of the first and second set of tows including a respective plurality of tows oriented to be substantially adjacent and parallel to each other at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the braided material, and each of the first and second set of tows further including a respective plurality of subsets of tows;
- a second braided component of the braided material, the second braided component including a first subset of tows of the first set of tows intertwined with a second subset of tows of the first set of tows;
- and
- wherein the second braided component is formed within an interior core of the first braided component.
A braided material comprising a plurality of sets of tows formed in a repeating braiding pattern along a longitudinal axis of the braided material, and in at least one pattern of the repeating braiding pattern, the braided material comprising:
- a first braided component including a first set of tows of the plurality of sets of tows intertwined with a second set of tows of the plurality of sets of tows, each of the first and second set of tows including a respective plurality of tows oriented to be substantially adjacent and parallel to each other at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the braided material, and each of the first and second set of tows further including a respective plurality of subsets of tows;
- and
- a second braided component including a first subset of tows of the first set of tows intertwined with a second subset of tows of the first set of tows, the second braided component formed inside the first braided component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.