Flat structural elements and a packing composed of such structural elements
AssigneeSulzer Chemtech AG
InventorsPhilipp Suess, Raymond Pluss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flat structural element has a plurality of openings which are distributed according to a predetermined pattern for use in packings. Every opening is delimited by the edges, which extend at an angle to each other or are curved. The structural element is made from two or more adjacent strips of flat material which are connected to each other with butt or overlapping connections.
Claims24
A flat, structural element comprising a plurality of separate, adjoining strips of a sheet material, each strip having first and second, spaced-apart longitudinal edges, the longitudinal edges of adjoining strips being placed opposite each other, the adjoining strips being in contact with and secured to each other where they contact each other to provide the flat structural element with structural stability, the longitudinal edges of the strips including a plurality of repetitively spaced-apart recesses of a predetermined shape, and the recesses in longitudinal edges being opposite each other to define a multiplicity of repetitively arranged openings distributed over the structural element.
A method of making a flat structural element having a width, a length and a multiplicity of openings regularly distributed over the member, the method comprising the steps of providing a flat, solid sheet;
- making a multiplicity of single, parallel cuts along a cutting line extending from one edge of the sheet to an opposing edge thereof so that each cut generates a strip defined by two, spaced-apart longitudinal edges;
- shaping the cutting lines so that each longitudinal edge forms alternating protrusions and recesses distributed along the longitudinal edges;
- arranging the strips generally parallel to each other so that their respective longitudinal edges face each other;
- offsetting adjoining strips in the direction of their longitudinal edges by an amount so that the protrusions and recesses in the longitudinal edges of the adjoining strips which face each other are opposite each other;
- contacting the protrusions of the facing edges of the adjoining strips;
- and securing the contacting protrusions of the adjoining strips to each other to thereby form the flat structural member and provide it with the multiplicity of openings defined by the recesses of the longitudinal edges of the strips and distributed over the flat structural member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.