Composite honeycomb structure
AssigneeRohr, Inc.
InventorAlan Richard Douglas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Adjoining edges of adjacent honeycomb core panel sections are mechanically interlocked. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a first edge along a first cellular core panel section. The first edge includes a first plurality of edge cell walls along the first edge. The method further includes forming a second edge along a second cellular core panel section, wherein the second edge includes a second plurality of edge cell walls along the second edge. The first edge is positioned proximate to the second edge. At least a portion of at least one of the first plurality of edge cell walls is mechanically interlocked with at least a portion of at least one of the second plurality of edge cell walls to form a joint therebetween. A composite structure may be at least partially produced by such a method.
Claims8
A composite structure comprising:
- a first honeycomb section having a first edge;
- a second honeycomb section having a second edge;
- and
- means for joining at least a portion of the first edge to at least a portion of the second edge without separate mechanical fasteners or adhesives,
- wherein the means for joining comprises a plurality of first edge cell walls along the first edge mechanically interlocked with a plurality of second edge cell walls along the second edge;
- the plurality of first edge cell walls each comprises a first hook portion;
- the plurality of second edge cell walls each comprises a second hook portion;
- and
- the first hook portions of the first edge cell walls are at least partially interlocked with the second hook portions of the second edge cell walls.
A composite structure comprising:
- a first honeycomb section having a first edge;
- a second honeycomb section having a second edge;
- and
- means for joining at least a portion of the first edge to at least a portion of the second edge without separate mechanical fasteners or adhesives,
- wherein the means for joining comprises a plurality of first edge cell walls along the first edge mechanically interlocked with a plurality of second edge cell walls along the second edge;
- the plurality of first edge cell walls each comprises a first double hook portion;
- the plurality of second edge cell walls each comprises a second double hook portion;
- and
- the first double hook portions of first edge cell walls are at least partially interlocked with the second double hook portions of the second edge cell walls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.