Structural shape mode influencers
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJonathan Wayne Gabrys, Megan E. Prucnal, Angela Santo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Structural shape mode influencers are disclosed. An example apparatus to introduce a pre-defined buckling mode in a beam for energy absorption in a vehicle includes a body of the beam, the body extending along a lateral direction thereof between a first lateral side of the beam and a second lateral side of the beam, and a stiffener interstitially placed in the body, the stiffener positioned between the first and second lateral sides, the stiffener extending across at least a portion of a longitudinal direction of the body.
Claims20
An apparatus to introduce a predefined buckling mode in a beam for energy absorption in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a body of the beam, the body extending along a lateral direction thereof between a first lateral side of the beam and a second lateral side of the beam;
- and
- a stiffener interstitially placed in the body, the stiffener having interstitial bodies that are integral with the body and positioned between the first and second lateral sides, the interstitial bodies extending across a longitudinal direction of the body such that the interstitial bodies are arranged in a checkered pattern across the longitudinal direction.
A support platform for use with a vehicle, the support platform comprising:
- a first frame portion;
- a second frame portion;
- a beam extending between the first and second frame portions;
- and
- a stiffener including interstitial bodies that are integral with a wall of the beam, the stiffener interstitial bodies extending across at least a portion of a longitudinal direction of the wall in a checkered pattern to introduce a predefined buckling mode in the beam.
A method to introduce a pre-defined buckling mode in a beam for energy absorption, the method comprising:
- defining or placing a stiffener into or onto a body of the beam, the stiffener including interstitial bodies extending across at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the body in a checkered pattern;
- and
- positioning the body to laterally extend between at least one of:
- (i) a first flange and a second flange, or
- (ii) a first frame portion and a second frame portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.