Method for forming three-dimensional support structure
AssigneeTessellated Group, LLC
InventorGregory W. GALE
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-dimensional support structure is provided and includes a single sheet of material that is folded into a repeating pattern of cells. Each of the cells is formed by first and second spaced-apart endwalls and first and second sloped sidewalls spanning between the endwalls. Each endwall comprises two plies of material while each sidewall comprises a single ply of material. The first and second sidewalls are adjoined at a folded edge. The cells are aligned such that the first endwall of one cell from the repeating pattern abuts the second endwall of an adjacent cell of the repeating pattern to form a four-ply wall of the material. A first liner may be attached to a first side of the folded material and a second liner may be attached to a second side of the folded material.
Claims14
1-21. (canceled)
A method for creating a three-dimensional support structure having opposite first and second surfaces, comprising providing a single sheet of foldable material having a first crease path that is linear when the sheet of material is unfolded and a plurality of first, second and third chevrons spaced apart along the first crease path and extending parallel to each other when the sheet of material is unfolded wherein each chevron includes first and second chevron legs that intersect each other at the first crease path and wherein the first crease path has a first path segment extending between the first chevron and the second chevron and a second path segment extending between the second chevron and the third chevron, folding the sheet of foldable material along the second chevron and along the second path segment in a first direction and along the first path segment in a second direction opposite to the first direction so that each second chevron forms a ridge disposed in the first surface of the support structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.