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US 12,522,300 B2Granted
Composite flooring for recreational vehicles
AssigneeThor Tech, Inc.
InventorsMark Bullock, Jon Brock, Jeff Snyder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laminated panel is provided comprising a skeletal framework, foam core inserts, an impact resistant sheet, and a weather resistant sheet bonded together with adhesive. Recreational vehicles incorporating such panels are also contemplated, as are methods of making the composite laminated panel.
Claims22
A recreational vehicle comprising a composite laminated panel, wherein:
- the composite laminated panel comprises a skeletal framework, a plurality of foam core inserts, an impact resistant sheet on a first side of the composite laminated panel, a weather resistant sheet on a second side of the composite laminated panel, and a plurality of contained framework cells;
- the skeletal framework of the composite laminated panel comprises a plurality of closed frame sections defined by frame segments of the skeletal framework;
- each contained framework cell is bounded volumetrically by frame segments of a closed frame section, portions of the impact resistant sheet, and portions of the weather resistant sheet;
- individual ones of the foam core inserts are large enough to frictionally engage at least two parallel frame segments of a closed frame section of the skeletal framework;
- each contained framework cell is packed with one or more of the foam core inserts and the foam core inserts within each cell collectively occupy a substantial entirety of the contained framework cell;
- and
- the skeletal framework, the foam core inserts, the impact resistant sheet, and the weather-resistant sheet comprise a structurally integrated composite laminated panel, such that a collective modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the composite laminated panel comprises modulus components that are attributable to the skeletal framework, the foam core inserts, the impact resistant sheet, and the weather resistant sheet.
4 more elements
A recreational vehicle comprising a composite laminated panel, wherein:
- the composite laminated panel comprises a foam core insert, an impact resistant sheet on a first side of the composite laminated panel, a weather resistant sheet on a second side of the composite laminated panel, and a structural adhesive;
- the structural adhesive is arranged to bond the foam core insert, the impact resistant sheet, and the weather-resistant sheet as a structurally integrated composite laminated panel;
- each of the plurality of foam core inserts comprises a density of at least 30 kg/m3±10%;
- the impact resistant sheet and the weather resistant sheet account for less than 20% of the total composite laminated panel thickness;
- the weather resistant sheet is characterized by an average sheet thickness that is less than an average sheet thickness of the impact resistant sheet and an area density that is less than 50% of an area density of the impact resistant sheet;
- the sheet thickness of the impact resistant sheet is 4.00 mm±20%;
- the sheet thickness of the weather resistant sheet is 2.7 mm±10%;
- the area density of the impact resistant sheet is 2850 g/m2±10%;
- the area density of the weather resistant sheet is 1000 g/m2±10%;
- the impact resistant sheet and the weather resistant sheet are fiberglass reinforced polymer sheets;
- the fiber content of the impact resistant sheet and the weather resistant sheet is between about 35 wt. % and about 70 wt. % and the impact resistant sheet comprises a greater fiber content than the weather resistant sheet;
- and
- the impact resistant sheet and the weather resistant sheet define a fiber content A, representing a difference between a fiber wt. % content of the impact resistant sheet and a fiber wt. % content of the weather resistant sheet that is at least 20 wt. %.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.