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US 12,228,246 B2Granted
Variable stiffness beam
OwnerMichael Sandersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A beam assembly includes a first beam member and a second beam member. The first and second beam members are both flexible when separated from each other. The first and second beam members each include compression and tension elements. The first and second beam members can be joined to form a stiff beam by interleaving the compression elements of the first and second beam members.
Claims15
A device, comprising:
- a first beam member including:
- first tension elements;
- and
- first compression elements, wherein the first tension elements extend between adjacent first compression elements, the first compression elements protrude from the first tension elements, and the first compression elements are hollow;
- a second beam member including:
- second tension elements;
- and
- second compression elements, wherein the second tension elements extend between adjacent second compression elements, the second tension elements extend between adjacent second compression elements, the second compression elements are hollow, and the first and second beam members are configured to join together to form a beam assembly by interleaving the first and second compression elements.
5 more elements
A device comprising:
- a first beam member including:
- a plurality of first flexible elements;
- and
- a plurality of first protrusions each protruding relative to the first flexible elements and each positioned between two first flexible elements, wherein the first protrusions are hollow;
- a second beam member including:
- a plurality of second flexible elements;
- and
- a plurality of second protrusions each protruding relative to the first flexible elements and each positioned between two second flexible elements, wherein the second protrusions are hollow and the first and second beam members are configured to join together to form a beam assembly by interleaving the first and second protrusions.
5 more elements
A device comprising:
- a first beam member including:
- a substantially flat top surface;
- an uneven bottom surface defined by an array of first protrusions protruding downward, wherein the first protrusions are hollow;
- a second beam member including:
- a substantially flat bottom surface;
- an uneven top surface defined by an array of second protrusions protruding upward, wherein the second protrusions are hollow and the first and second beam members are configured to be joined together as a beam assembly by interleaving the first and second protrusions, wherein when the first and second beam members are joined together the beam assembly has a flexibility that is at least an order of magnitude lower than a flexibility of either the first and second beam members when they are separated from each other.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.