Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for manufacturing an element having a curved surface substantially in the shape of a portion of a sphere, from a rigid panel having a honeycomb structure, which panel comprises thin parallel bands spot-welded together by staggered spot-welds and stretched by spreading the bands apart so as to form regular cavities, said method comprising breaking the rigidity of a planar panel having said structure by passing the panel between a plurality of cylinders having a hard surface and axes of rotation which are parallel but offset so as to impart to the panel as many changes in direction as there are cylinders at substantially a right angle so as to fold or corrugate the walls of the cavities roughly in a direction parallel to edges of apices formed by sides of the apices, heating the panel rendered supple in this way and placing it on a form which is at least partly spherical where the panel cools and assumes the desired shape.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for manufacturing an element having a curved surface substantially in the shape of a portion of a sphere, from a rigid panel having a honeycomb structure, which panel comprises thin parallel bands spot-welded together by staggered spot-welds and stretched by spreading the bands apart so as to form regular cavities, said method comprising breaking the rigidity of a planar panel having said structure by passing the panel between a plurality of cylinders having a hard surface and axes of rotation which are parallel but offset so as to impart to the panel as many changes in direction as there are cylinders at substantially a right angle so as to fold or corrugate the walls of the cavities roughly in a direction parallel to edges of apices formed by sides of the apices, heating the panel rendered supple in this way and placing it on a form which is at least partly spherical where the panel cools and assumes the desired shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein for the purpose of breaking the rigidity of the panel it is passed two times between the successive cylinders by turning the panel through 90° in the plane of the panel between the two passages between the cylinders.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1, comprising cutting the panel which has been rendered supple in accordance with a shape and dimensions corresponding to a desired hollow portion of a sphere, before heating and forming the panel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 1, comprising forming a sandwich by adhering at least one said panel on a sheet of a thermoplastic material, heating said sandwich to a temperature of softening of the thermoplastic material, disposing said sandwich on a form having the desired curvature and allowing said sandwich to cool.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 1, comprising simultaneously passing two said panels between two sets of cylinders in inverted staggered relation, introducing a sheet of a flexible thermoplastic material between said two panels rendered in this way supple, adhering the sheet of flexible material and said panels together so as to form a sandwich, and heating and forming said sandwich at a desired curvature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said panel having a honeycomb structure is composed of a metal sheet which has a thickness of between 20 and 90μ.