Patent US3884646A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3884646A
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Structural panel and method of fabrication thereof
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-12-05
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1992-12-05
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an improved composite structural panel and a method of fabrication thereof. The panel comprises a pair of structural sheets between which lie a number of substantially pyramidal structural units. The units may be skeletal and in particular may be joined together or all formed from a single piece of material such that the entire structure between the panels comprises a matrix of such units, or, in certain embodiments of the invention, a plurality of such matrices in layers, one atop the other. In any event, any number of the structural units may be securely attached to adjacent units and/or to the structural sheets, at the point of contact therebetween, thus creating a substantially rigid structural panel. The method comprises providing such structural units, inserting them between two structural sheets and securely attaching selected units to adjacent units and to the structural sheets at the points of contact therebetween. In particular, a matrix of such structural units may be provided by creating parallel linear arrays of linear slits in a structural plate, stretching the plate in the direction perpendicular to the orientation of the arrays and raising selected portions of the plate in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate. A plurality of layers of structural units, for example a plurality of matrices, may be inserted between the structural sheets, one atop the other.
Inventors
- 👤 James T Kenney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:48
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21D; B21D47/00; B21D22/00; B21D22/02; E; E04; E04C; E04C2/00; E04C2/30; E04C2/34; E04C2/3405; E04C2002/3488; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/10; Y10T156/1002; Y10T156/1052; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/1234; Y10T428/12347; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24149; Y10T428/24174; Y10T428/24628; Y10T428/24669; Y10T428/24694; Y10T428/24702; Y10T428/24711; Y10T428/24727
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A STRUCTURAL PANEL, COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND STRUCTURAL SHEETS; AND A PLURALITY OF SKELETAL PYRAMID-SHAPED STRUCTURAL UNITS HAVING AN APEX, A BASE AND THREE OR MORE STRAIGHT RIGID EDGE MEMBERS, THE APEX ENDS OF SAID EDGE MEMBERS MEETING ONE ANOTHER IN PROXIMITY TO THE APEX OF THE UNIT AND THE BASE ENDS THEREOF DEFINING THE BASE OF THE UNIT, SAID UNITS BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHEETS WITH PART OF SAID APEXES RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST SHHET AND PART OF SAID BASES ATTACHED TO SAID SECOND SHEET.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A STRUCTURAL PANEL, COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND STRUCTURAL SHEETS; AND A PLURALITY OF SKELETAL PYRAMID-SHAPED STRUCTURAL UNITS HAVING AN APEX, A BASE AND THREE OR MORE STRAIGHT RIGID EDGE MEMBERS, THE APEX ENDS OF SAID EDGE MEMBERS MEETING ONE ANOTHER IN PROXIMITY TO THE APEX OF THE UNIT AND THE BASE ENDS THEREOF DEFINING THE BASE OF THE UNIT, SAID UNITS BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SHEETS WITH PART OF SAID APEXES RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIRST SHHET AND PART OF SAID BASES ATTACHED TO SAID SECOND SHEET.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
Panel as in claim 1, wherein a portion of said plurality of said units are mutually disposed such that all units of said portion are oriented such that their apexes point toward the same one of said sheets, and the base end of at least one edge member of each unit of said portion is in rigid contact with the base end of an edge member of another unit of said portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Panel as in claim 2, wherein said portion is a matrix comprising a unitary structural element of expanded metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
94 words
Panel as in claim 3 wherein two or more matrices are employed, each of said matrices being in juxtaposition with at least one other of said matrices, each of said matrices being disposed with respect to an adjacent matrix such that a number of the apexes within one of the pair are each in contact with the base end of at least one edge member of a unit of the other of the pair; and a plurality of said apexes are in rigid contact with said base ends at the points of contact therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Panel as in claim 3, wherein said units each comprise four edge members, the base ends thereof defining a rectangular plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
PANEL AS IN CLAIM 4, WHEREIN THE MATERIAL COMPRISING THE MATRIX ADJACENT TO ONE OF SID STRUCTURAL SHEETS IS OF HEAVIER GAUGE THAN THAT COMPRISING THE MATRIX ADJACENT TO THE OTHER OF SAID STRUCTURAL SHEETS.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
92 words
Method of fabricating a structural panel comprising the steps of: providing first and second structural sheets; furnishing a plurality of skeletal pyramid-shaped structural units having an apex, a base and three or more rigid edge members, the apex ends of said edge members meeting one another at the apex of the unit and the base ends thereof defining the base of the unit; inserting said number of units between said sheets; ridigly attaching a part of said apexes to said first sheet and a part of said bases to said second sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
Method of fabricating a structural panel comprising the steps of: providing first and second structural sheets; furnishing a plurality of skeletal pyramid-shaped structural units having an apex, a base and three or more rigid edge members, the apex ends of said edge members meeting one another at the apex of the unit and the base ends thereof defining the base of the unit; inserting said number of units between said sheets; ridigly attaching a part of said apexes to said first sheet and a part of said bases to said second sheet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method as in claim 7, wherein said step of furnishing comprises manufacturing a matrix of units substantially all of said units being mutually disposed such that the base end of each edge member of each unit within said matrix is in rigid contact with a base end of an edge member of at least one other unit within said matrix; and the remainder of said units, said remainder constituting a portion of the periphery of said matrix, being similarly disposed with respect to the other units of said matrix except that one or more of the base ends of each unit of said remainder is not in contact with the base end of any other unit of the matrix.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein, said step of manufacturing comprises fabricating said matrix from a single piece of structural material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein said units each comprise four edge members, the base ends thereof substantially defining a rectangular base.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
106 words
Method as in claim 8, wherein said step of manufacturing compRises the steps of fabricating two or more of said matrices; mutually arranging said matrices such that each of said matrices is in juxtaposition with at least one other of said matrices, each of said matrices being disposed with respect to an adjacent matrix such that a number of the apexes within one of the pair are in contact with the base end of at least one edge member of a unit of the other of the pair; and rigidly securing a plurality of said apexes to said base ends at the points of contact therebetween.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
200 words
Method as in claim 9, wherein said step of fabricating comprises the steps of creating, in a structural plate, two or more substantially parallel, substantially linear arrays of slits, said slits and arrays aligned in substantially the same orientation, said slits being of substantially identical length and substantially uniformly spaced within their respective arrays, and said arrays being mutually disposed such that adjacent ones thereof are separated by a substantially uniform distance, such that, in a direction perpendicular to that of the arrays, corresponding slits in adjacent arrays are mutually staggered and corresponding slits in alternate arrays are mutually aligned; stretching the slitted plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the arrays; and extending, in a direction perpendicular to the surface of said stretched plate, the interstices between the stretched slits in each of a group of arrays, said group defined as a selected array and all other arrays mutually disposed with said selected array such that an odd number of arrays intervenes between them, substantially all of the remaining interstices in said stretched plate being caused to substantially define a plane, said extended interstices being each displaced from said substantial plane in a direction perpendicular thereto.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
Method as in claim 12, further including the step of flattening said plate subsequently to said step of stretching and prior to said step of extending.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
116 words
Method as in claim 12, further including subsequently to said step of extending and prior to said step of inserting, the step of joining two or more of said matrices such that each of said joined matrices is in juxtaposition with at least one other of said joined matrices, each of said joined matrices being disposed with respect to an adjacent matrix such that a number of the apexes within one of the pair are in contact with the base end of an edge member of at least one unit of the other of the pair; and a plurality of said apexes are in rigid contact with said base ends at the points of contact therebetween.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method as in claim 7, wherein said sheet and said units each comprise weldable material and said step of rigidly attaching comprises welding.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method as in claim 7, wherein said step of rigidly attaching comprises adhesive bonding.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
Method as in claim 12, wherein said step of extending comprises placing said slitted stretched plate between a pair of dies, one of said dies bearing, on the surface thereof facing said plate, one or more substantially triangularly prismatic protrusions in substantially perpendicular alignment with said linear arrays and corresponding, in relative position, to the interstices of said group of arrays, and the other of said dies bearing on the surface thereof facing said plate, one or more substantially triangularly prismatic recesses, said protrusions and recesses in the two plates being arranged so as to cause the plates to lie in substantially mating relationship when brought in close mutual contact; and forcing said dies together with said plate therebetween.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
Method as in claim 12, wherein said step of creating comprises die slitting.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method as in claim 13, wherein said step of flattening comprises forcing said plate between two rollers, said rollers being in close proximity and in substantial axially parallel alignment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |