Sandwich structure with a high load-bearing capacity, as well as methods for the manufacture thereof
AssigneeFits Holding B.V.
InventorMartin Theodoor de Groot
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Abstract
A sandwich structure based on a composite panel made of a thermoplastic core layer connected to at least one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic layer, in particular in-situ manufactured sandwich panels, comprises a thermoplastic core, which is arranged between two cover layers, in which the core is reinforced with fiber-reinforced thermoplastic reinforcing ribs which extend between the cover layers. Preferred methods for the manufacture are also described.
Claims16
A method for manufacturing a sandwich structure comprising a thermoplastic core, which is arranged between two cover layers, in which the core is reinforced with fiber-reinforced thermoplastic reinforcing ribs, which extend between the cover layers, which method comprises the following steps:
- A) providing a sandwich panel comprising a thermoplastic core layer, which is arranged between two cover layers, at least one of which is a fibre-reinforced thermoplastic cover layer;
- B) providing one or more interruptions in the one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic layer of the panel;
- C) folding edges situated along at least one of the one or more interruptions, so that a subpanel is obtained comprising a cover layer, which is provided with core parts, which are arranged at a distance from one another, which are covered on at least two sides with a fibre-reinforced thermoplastic cover layer;
- D) filling the space between the core parts arranged at a distance from one another with a filling segment comprising a thermoplastic core covered with a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic cover layer on its longitudinal sides.
A method for manufacturing a sandwich structure comprising a thermoplastic core, which is arranged between two cover layers, in which the core is reinforced with fiber-reinforced thermoplastic reinforcing ribs which extend between the cover layers, said method comprising the following steps:
- f) providing a sandwich panel comprising a thermoplastic core layer, which is arranged between two cover layers, at least one of which is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic cover layer;
- g) providing one or more interruptions in the one fiber-reinforced thermoplastic layer of the panel;
- h) folding edges situated along at least one of the one or more interruptions, so that a subpanel is obtained comprising a cover layer, which is provided with core parts, which are arranged at a distance from one another, which are covered on at least two sides with a the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic cover layer;
- i) repeating steps f)-h) at least once until the desired number of subpanels has been manufactured;
- j) positioning at least two subpanels in such a way with respect to one another that the core parts of a subpanel are at a position between the core parts of another subpanel;
- and
- k) connecting the subpanels to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.