Fiber reinforced core panel able to be contoured
OwnerMichael Tompkins, Anthony S. Brandoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber reinforced core panel contains a series of adjacent, substantially parallel low density strips and a continuous fibrous reinforcement sheet threaded through the low density strips. The low density strips have at least three faces (a major face, a first edge face, a second edge face, and optionally a minor face) where the major face of each strip is disposed within the first or second side of the core panel. At least a portion of the low density strips comprise a series of cuts, where the cuts originate in the major or minor face and the cuts extend through only a portion of the thickness of the strips.
Claims23
A fiber reinforced core panel having a first side and an opposing second side comprising:
- a series of adjacent low density strips having at least three faces and having a length to width aspect ratio of at least 5:1, wherein the longitudinal axes of the low density strips are substantially parallel, wherein the cross-section of each strip has a major face, a first edge face, a second edge face, and optionally a minor face, wherein the major face of each strip is disposed within the first or second side of the core panel, wherein at least a portion of the low density strips comprise a series of cuts, wherein the cuts originate in the major or minor face, wherein the cuts extend through only a portion of the thickness of the strips;
- and
- a continuous fibrous reinforcement sheet, wherein the continuous fibrous reinforcement sheets is threaded through the low density strips such that the fibrous reinforcement sheet is disposed between adjacent strips and adjacent to the major or minor faces of the low density strips.
A composite structure comprising:
- a fiber reinforced core panel having a first side and an opposing second side comprising:
- a series of adjacent low density strips having at least three faces and having a length to width aspect ratio of at least 5:1, wherein the longitudinal axes of the low density strips are substantially parallel, wherein the cross-section of each strip has a major face, a first edge face, a second edge face, and optionally a minor face, wherein the major face of each strip is disposed within the first or second side of the core panel, wherein at least a portion of the low density strips comprise a series of cuts, wherein the cuts originate in the major or minor face, wherein the cuts extend through only a portion of the thickness of the strips;
- and
- a continuous fibrous reinforcement sheet, wherein the continuous fibrous reinforcement sheets is threaded through the low density strips such that the fibrous reinforcement sheet is disposed between adjacent strips and adjacent to the major or minor faces of the low density strips
- a first outer skin layer located on the first side of the fiber reinforced core panel;
- a second outer skin layer located on the second side of the fiber reinforced core panel;
- and,
- a resin impregnating at least a portion of one of the first outer skin, the second outer skin layer, and the continuous fibrous reinforcement sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.