Method and apparatus for manufacturing articles employing folded honeycomb panels
AssigneeHexacomb Corporation
InventorsDale W. Komarek, Paul Moser, George T. Wroblewski, Sr.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed of folding a honeycomb panel, the panel preferably comprising a honeycomb core having opposing face sheets. A slit is preferably cut through one face sheet and the underlying honeycomb core and a wedge is driven into the honeycomb panel at the location of the slit. The wedge crushes the honeycomb core to a preselected depth with a preselected angle whereby the crushed honeycomb core forms a hinge. The honeycomb panel can then folded along the hinge in a direction opposite the intact face sheet.
Claims20
A method of forming a fold in a honeycomb panel along a predetermined line, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) cutting a slit into the honeycomb panel along the predetermined line;
- and
- b) crushing portions of the honeycomb panel along the predetermined line to crush the honeycomb panel to form a trough, the crushed portions of the honeycomb panel forming a hinge whereby the honeycomb panel is foldable along the hinge.
A method of preparing a honeycomb panel having a honeycomb core and opposing face sheets for folding along a predetermined line, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) slitting a portion of one face sheet of the panel with a knife along the predetermined line;
- and
- b) crushing the honeycomb panel along the slit to crush the honeycomb panel to a predetermined depth and at a predetermined angle such that the crushed portion of the honeycomb panel forms a hinge.
A method of manufacturing a foldable honeycomb panel comprising the steps of:
- a) cutting a slit into a honeycomb panel;
- b) providing a wedge including at least two sidewalls that define an angle and a vertex;
- and
- c) crushing portions of the honeycomb panel with the wedge along the slit to form a predetermined trough defining an angle, the angle of the sidewalls of the wedge being greater than the angle of the trough, the crushed portions of the honeycomb panel forming a hinge whereby the panel is foldable along the hinge.
A method of preparing a foldable honeycomb panel, including a honeycomb core and opposing face sheets, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a cutting edge;
- b) providing a crushing device that defines an angle;
- c) slitting one of the opposing face sheets of the panel with the cutting edge;
- and
- d) crushing the honeycomb panel along the slit to a predetermined depth to form a predetermined angle, wherein the crushing device angle is greater than the angle formed in the honeycomb panel and whereby the crushed honeycomb forms a hinge.
A method of forming a fold line in a honeycomb panel, said honeycomb panel comprising a pair of opposed face sheets that are interconnected together through a plurality of generally laterally spaced but periodically interconnected, and also transversely generally perpendicularly extending, spacer sheet strips located between said face sheet, said fold line being defined along a predetermined straight line defined on one of said face sheets, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) cutting a slit along said line, said slit extending through said one face sheet and into adjacent portions of said spacer sheet strips, thereby to define a pair of opposed edge portions with each edge portion being on a different adjacent side of said slit;
- and
- b) locally inwardly crushing portions of said one face sheet and adjacent portions of said spacer sheet strips along and symmetrically adjacent to each side of said slit, thereby to define an elongated, trench-configured depression in said so crushed portions of said one face, said opposed edge portions being located medially in and also longitudinally extending in said depression with said opposed edge portions being in laterally adjacent but spaced relationship to one another,
- whereby said honeycomb panel is foldable along a hinge axis which is defined in said other face sheet and which is in transversely spaced, parallel relationship to said line, and
- whereby, when said honeycomb panel is so folded, said so crushed portions of said one face sheet on each side of said slit are brought into generally contacting interfacial engagement with one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.