Method of making a dual-laminate honeycomb panel
AssigneeHunter Douglas Inc.
InventorsPaul G. Swiszcz, Jason T. Throne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual-laminate honeycomb panel permits the use of two or more different materials to form a single panel. In this manner, a retractable covering for an architectural opening may be formed that has a different appearance depending upon which side of the panel is being viewed. The resultant panel is formed by attaching a plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells, wherein each precursor tubular cell itself comprises two strips of material attached to one another.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an expandable and contractible honeycomb panel having a front side and a back side, said honeycomb panel comprising a plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells, said precursor tubular cells being constructed of foldable and creasable material, said method comprising the steps of
- (a) placing a first strip of a first material substantially parallel to a second strip of a second material in an overlapping configuration;
- (b) directly joining said first strip and said second strip, forming a dual-laminate component;
- (c) folding said dual-laminate component into a precursor tubular cell;
- (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) to create said plurality of precursor tubular cells;
- and
- (e) connecting said plurality of precursor tubular cells to form said honeycomb panel such that said first material is on said front side of said honeycomb panel and said second material is on said back side of said honeycomb panel.
A method of manufacturing an expandable and contractible honeycomb panel having a front side and a back side, said honeycomb panel comprising a plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells, said precursor tubular cells being constructed of a foldable and creasable material, said method comprising the steps of
- (a) laying out a first sheet of a first material;
- (b) laying out a second sheet of a second material, such that said first and second sheets are substantially parallel and overlapping;
- (c) directly joining said first sheet to said second sheet along a plurality of parallel connecting lines;
- (d) cutting said joined first and second sheets adjacent one of said plurality of parallel connecting lines, forming a dual-laminate component having a first strip of said first sheet directly joined along a selected connecting line to a second strip of said second sheet;
- (e) folding said dual-laminate component into a precursor tubular cell;
- (f) repeating steps (d) and (e) to create said plurality of precursor tubular cells;
- and
- (g) connecting said plurality of precursor tubular cells to form said honeycomb panel such that said first material is on said front side of said honeycomb panel and said second material is on said back side of said honeycomb panel.
A method of manufacturing an expandable and contractible honeycomb panel having a front side and a back side, said method comprising the steps of
- (I) creating a plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells, each of said precursor tubular cells being constructed of foldable and creasable material, said creating step further comprising the steps of
- (a) laying out a first strip of a first material, said first strip having a first longitudinal axis and a first length parallel to said first longitudinal axis;
- (b) laying out a second strip of a second material, said second strip having a second longitudinal axis and a second length parallel to said second longitudinal axis, said second length being substantially equal to said first length, and said second longitudinal axis being arranged substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis;
- (c) directly affixing said second strip to said first strip, forming a dual-laminate component, and
- (d) shaping said dual-laminate component into said precursor tubular cell such that said first material is on said front side of said honeycomb panel and said second material is on said back side of said honeycomb panel;
- and
- (II) joining said plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells to form said honeycomb panel.
A method of manufacturing an expandable and contractible honeycomb panel having a front side and a back side, said method comprising the steps of
- (I) creating a plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells, each of said precursor tubular cells being constructed of foldable and creasable material, said creating step further comprising the steps of
- (a) selecting a first strip of a first material, said first strip having
- a first longitudinal axis,
- a first width perpendicular to said first longitudinal axis, and
- a first length parallel to said first longitudinal axis;
- (b) selecting a second strip of a second material, said second material being different from said first material, and said second strip having
- a second longitudinal axis,
- a second width perpendicular to said second longitudinal axis, said second width being less than said first width, and
- a second length parallel to said second longitudinal axis, said second length being substantially equal to said first length;
- (c) placing said first strip of said first material substantially parallel to said second strip of said second material in an overlapping configuration, said second longitudinal axis thus being arranged substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis;
- (d) directly joining said second strip is to said first strip, forming a dual-laminate component;
- and
- (e) shaping said dual-laminate component into said precursor tubular cell such that said first material is on said front side of said honeycomb panel and said second material is on said back side of said honeycomb panel;
- and
- (II) joining said plurality of elongated precursor tubular cells to form said honeycomb panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.