Compliant structural members

Claim 2

A STABLE, LIGHTWEIGHT, POROUS MEMBER OF COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AN ASSEMBLAGE OF UNCONNECTED METAL STRIPS DISPOSED IN ABUTTED, SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ASSEMBLAGE, MEANS BETWEEN OR FORMED IN SAID STRIPS FOR PROVIDING INTERSTICES THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS AT ONE SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLAGE FOR MAINTAINING THE STRIPS IN THE ASSEMBLAGE IN THE AFORESAID RELATIONSHIP COMPRISING A RIGID BACKING MEMBER, SAID BACKING MEMBER BEING BONDED ONLY TO THE EDGE PORTIONS OF TE STRIPS AT SAID ONE SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLAGE SO THAT SAID STR WISE FREE TO MOVE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, AND THE EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLAGE BEING EXPOSED.

Claim 3

The member of claim 1, wherein the means for forming interstices between said strips are corrugations formed in at least part of the strips.

Claim 4

The member of claim 2, wherein all of said strips are corrugated with the corrugations extending diagonally from edge-to-edge of each said strip, the corrugations in alternate strips extending in opposite directions, whereby the corrugations in adjacent strips come into contact to space the strips apart and provide the interstices therebetween.

Claim 5

The member of claim 2, wherein all of said strips are corrugated with the corrugations extending diagonally from edge-to-edge of each strip, the corrugations in all of said strips extending in the same direction and the corrugations in adjacent strips being inclined at different angles relative to the edges of the strips, whereby the corrugations in adjacent strips come into contact to space the strips apart and provide the interstices therebetween.

Claim 6

The member of claim 2, wherein the corrugations in at least alternate strips are V-shaped, said corrugations spacing said strips apart and thereby providing the interstices therebetween.

Claim 7

The member of claim 2, wherein only alternative ones of said strips are corrugated.

Claim 8

The member of claim 2, wherein the corrugations in the strips are of at least two different configurations.

Claim 9

The member of claim 2, wherein the corrugations in adjacent strips are in a mirror image relationship relative to the corrugations in the strips thereadjacent.

Claim 10

The member of claim 2, wherein the corrugations in said sTrips have an arcuate configuration.

Claim 11

The member of claim 9, wherein the corrugations in adjacent strips face in opposite directions.

Claim 12

The member of claim 1, wherein the means spacing apart the strips are members of woven or felted strands disposed between the strips.

Claim 13

The member of claim 1, wherein said strips are composed of at least two different metallic materials.

Claim 14

The member of claim 1, wherein at least part of the strips are of knitted or woven metallic fibers.

Claim 15

The member of claim 1, together with an abradable filler in the interstices between the strips of the assemblage.

Claim 16

The member of claim 1, wherein said strips are of a heat treatable metal or alloy which is or contains aluminum, beryllium, copper, nickel, titanium, iron, chromium, cobalt, silver, tungsten, and/or molybdenum.

Claim 17

The member of claim 1, wherein at least part of the strips in the assemblage are of perforated, notched, or other open construction.

Claim 18

The member of claim 1, wherein said strips have a thickness in the range of from 0.0005 to 0.010 inch.

Claim 19

The member of claim 18, wherein said backing member has a thickness in the range of from 0.002 to 0.010 inch.

Claim 20

The member of claim 1, wherein said assemblage has a thickness of from 0.05 to 1.0 inch.

Claim 21

The member of claim 1, wherein the size of the interstices between the strips is in the range of 0.005 to 0.250 inch.

Claim 22

A stable, lightweight, porous member of composite construction comprising an assemblage of unconnected metal strips disposed in abutted, side-by-side relationship with the edges of the strips at opposite sides of the assemblage, at least alternate ones of said strips being corrugated to space said strips apart and thereby provide interstices between the strips, and means at one side of the assemblage for maintaining the strips in the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship comprising a rigid backing member, said blocking member being bonded only to the edge portions of the strips at said one side of the assemblage so that said strips are otherwise free to move relative to each other, and the edges of the strips at the opposite side of the assemblage being exposed.

Claim 23

A stable, lightweight, porous member of composite construction comprising an assemblage of unconnected metal strips disposed in abutted, side-by-side relationship with the edges of the strips at opposite sides of the assemblage, at least alternate ones of said strips being corrugated to space said strips apart and thereby provide interstices between the strips, and means at one side of the assemblage for maintaining the strips in the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship comprising a rigid backing member, said blocking member being bonded only to the edge portions of the strips at said one side of the assemblage so that said strips are otherwise free to move relative to each other, and the edges of the strips at the opposite side of the assemblage being exposed.

Claim 24

A stable, lightweight, porous member of composite construction comprising an assemblage of unconnected metal strips disposed in abutted, side-by-side relationship with the edges of the strips at opposite sides of the assemblage; means between or formed in said strips for providing interstices therebetween; and means for maintaining the strips in the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship comprising a rigid backing member on each side of the assemblage of strips, each said backing member being bonded only to the edge portions of the strips at the side of the assemblage at which the backing member is located so that said strips are otherwise free to move relative to each other.

Claim 25

A stable, lightweight, porous member of composite construction comprising an assemblage of unconnected metal strips disposed in abutted, side-by-side relationship with the edges of the strips at opposite sides of the assemblage; means between or formed in said strips for providing interstices therebetween; and means for maintaining the strips in the assemblage in the aforesaid relationship comprising a rigid backing member on each side of the assemblage of strips, each said backing member being bonded only to the edge portions of the strips at the side of the assemblage at which the backing member is located so that said strips are otherwise free to move relative to each other.

Claim 26

A STABLE, LIGHTWEIGHT, POROUS EMBER OF COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AS ASSEMBLAGE OF UNCONNCTED METAL STRIPS DISPOSED IN ABUTTED, SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ASSEMBLAGE AND MEANS BETWEEN OR FORMED IN SAID STRIPS FOR PROVIDING INTERSTICES THEREBETWEEN, THE EDGE PORTIONS ONLY OF SAID STRIPS BEING BONDED TOGETHER AT ONE SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLAGE SO THAT SAID STRIEB ARE OTHERWISE FREE TO MOVE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, AND THE EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT BOTH SIDES OF THE ASSEMBLAGE BEING EXPOSED.

Claim 27

A STABLE, LIGHTWEIGHT, POROUS EMBER OF COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AS ASSEMBLAGE OF UNCONNCTED METAL STRIPS DISPOSED IN ABUTTED, SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ASSEMBLAGE AND MEANS BETWEEN OR FORMED IN SAID STRIPS FOR PROVIDING INTERSTICES THEREBETWEEN, THE EDGE PORTIONS ONLY OF SAID STRIPS BEING BONDED TOGETHER AT ONE SIDE OF THE ASSEMBLAGE SO THAT SAID STRIEB ARE OTHERWISE FREE TO MOVE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, AND THE EDGES OF THE STRIPS AT BOTH SIDES OF THE ASSEMBLAGE BEING EXPOSED.