Half Closed Thermoplastic Honeycomb, Their Production Process and Equipment to Produce
AssigneesJochen PFLUG, K.U. Leuven Research & Development
InventorsJochen Pflug, Ignace Verpoest
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Abstract
A half closed thermoplastic folded honeycomb structure is described which is produced from a continuous web of material by plastic deformation perpendicular to the plane of the material to thereby form half-hexagonal cell walls and small connecting areas. By folding in the direction of conveyance the cell walls meet to thereby form the honeycomb structure.
Claims16
A folded honeycomb, formed from a plurality of cells arranged in rows, comprising:
- cells have lateral cell walls which adjoin one another in the form of a ring and are bounded toward two opening sides of each cell by covering-layer planes whereby the cells are each bridged completely or partially in one or other of the covering-layer planes;
- the folded honeycomb being formed from a substantially uncut flat body;
- the folded honeycomb having a plurality of 3D-structures (1 and 2) formed by plastic deformation and connecting areas (3 and 4) produced by the plastic deformation, the connecting areas 3, 4) being located in one or other of the covering-layer planes in the folded honeycomb.
A process for producing a folded honeycomb from a flat body composed of a plastically deformable material, comprising the steps of:
- a) plastically deforming the flat body to form first 3D-structures (1 and 2) and second connection areas (3 and 4) therein, the second connection areas being formed between first 3D-structures;
- and
- b) folding the 3D-structures towards each other to form cells having cell walls which adjoin one another in the form of a ring so that a cell wall of one cell adjoins the cell wall of another cell in a honeycomb structure.
Equipment for producing a folded honeycomb from a flat body composed of a plastically deformable material, comprising:
- a) means for plastically deforming the flat body to form first 3D-structures (1 and 2) and second connection areas (3 and 4) therein, the second connection areas being formed between first 3D-structures;
- and
- b) means for folding the 3D-structures towards each other to form cells having cell walls which adjoin one another in the form of a ring so that a cell wall of one cell adjoins the cell wall of another cell in a honeycomb structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.