Support for curved surfaces

Abstract

The present invention is a round-bottom flask support which comprises a base of honeycomb or honeycomb-like material flat on its lower surface and having a concave upper surface substantially complementary to the flask it is designed to support. The cross section of the base is preferably cylindrical and a cylindrical annular ring engaging the periphery of the base and upper surface can be provided for added dimension stability. The upper surface of the base preferably has a semi-spherical configuration produced by compression of the upper surface of the base toward the lower surface to create "pleats" in at least some cell walls. This provides an added mechanical lock at the cell nodes which reduces the tendency of the honeycomb to separate at the cell nodes and is of particular advantage where the honeycomb is subjected to high temperatures and the adhesive bond may be weakened. The honeycomb base is usually aligned so that the cells extend transversely to the lower surface of the base and at least some cells usually communicate between the lower surface and the upper surface of the base. The material from which the honeycomb can be constructed is highly variable but is preferably largely unaffected by moisture or temperature changes. More preferably, this material is stable upon the application of heat from a hot plate and is non-ferromagnetic.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.