PANEL COMPRISING A MULTIPLE OF CORRUGATED PLATES ACCORDING TO TWO OSCILLATING CURVES

Abstract

PANEL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CORRUGATED PLATES ACCORDING TO TWO OSCILLATING CURVES The invention relates to a panel comprising a plurality of plates, called corrugated plates (2, 4), arranged between two parallel flat outer plates (20, 21), in which: - each corrugated plate (2, 4) extends along a non-planar surface following a first periodic oscillating curve in at least one principal direction around an average surface of said corrugated plate extending substantially parallel to said outer plates (20, 21), - each corrugated plate (2, 4) further extends along a non-planar surface following a second periodic oscillating curve, each corrugated plate (2, 4) having a plurality of crest lines and a plurality of trough lines, - said corrugated plates (2,4) are configured such that each crest line of a first corrugated plate has at least point contact with each trough line of a second corrugated plate. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 2,

Description

Title of the invention: PANEL COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CORRUGATED PLATES ACCORDING TO TWO OSCILLATING CURVES Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a panel comprising a plurality of corrugated plates along two oscillating curves, as well as a method for manufacturing such a panel. Technological background

[0002] The significant increase in the number of space debris is an increasingly worrying problem, both from the environmental point of view of this pollution, and from that of the safety of astronauts on the international space station and the reliability of the implementation of space equipment.

[0003] Such debris originates primarily from the accidental or deliberate destruction of satellites. It is generally classified by size, from micrometer-sized debris to decameter-sized debris. All debris, even millimeter-sized debris, constitutes a potential threat and is likely to cause significant damage due to its high speed of movement.

[0004] Document CN107672248 describes, for example, a protective sandwich panel comprising corrugated steel plates, superimposed and welded together and to two flat plates, one upper and one lower. However, the structure and shape of such plates do not allow for satisfactory resistance. Objectives of the invention

[0005] The invention aims to provide a panel exhibiting excellent mechanical properties, in particular excellent resilience.

[0006] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a panel capable of withstanding impacts from millimeter or centimeter objects with speeds of the order of 1 to 60 km / s.

[0007] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a panel that can be used as shielding or as a suitable material to form at least part of the outer surface of a satellite or any other space device.

[0008] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, a method for manufacturing such a panel that is easy to implement on an industrial scale. Description of the invention

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a panel comprising a plurality of plates, called corrugated plates, arranged between two substantially parallel outer plates, in which:

[0010] - each corrugated plate extends along a non-planar surface following a first periodic oscillating curve along at least one principal direction around an average surface of said corrugated plate,

[0011] - said average surface of each corrugated plate extends substantially parallel element to said external plates,

[0012] said panel being characterized in that:

[0013] - each corrugated plate further extends along a non-planar surface following a second periodic oscillating curve such that any cross-section of said corrugated plate along a surface parallel to said average surface of said corrugated plate exhibits at least two periodic oscillating curves, called second periodic oscillating curves, extending substantially parallel to each other,

[0014] - each corrugated plate has a plurality of ridge lines and a plurality of trough lines, each crest line and each trough line extending along said second oscillating curve in a second principal direction or in a direction parallel to said second principal direction,

[0015] - said corrugated plates are configured such that each ridge line of a first corrugated plate presents at least point contact with each trough line of a second corrugated plate.

[0016] Thus, the superposition of corrugated plates exhibiting oscillations along two distinct oscillating curves, one along the average surface (or the average plane) of each corrugated plate, and the other outside this average surface (or this average plane), makes it possible to obtain a panel exhibiting exceptional mechanical properties, in particular resistance to impacts by objects exhibiting a speed greater than 1 km per second.

[0017] Such a panel can also be compared to a sandwich panel, the external plates forming the skins of such a sandwich material and said corrugated plates forming the core thereof.

[0018] An oscillating curve is a curve that is alternately located on one side and the other of a curve averaged to that oscillating curve. According to certain embodiments of the invention, the oscillating curves may be sinusoidal or triangular.

[0019] Each plate or sheet of such a panel therefore exhibits oscillations having a non-zero amplitude and period along two directions orthogonal to each other.

[0020] The difference in height between a peak (the crest of the ridge lines) and a trough (the trough lines) represents the amplitude. The distance between two peaks of the same ridge line represents one period (or the wavelength) of said periodic oscillation.

[0021] Any cut of said corrugated plate along a plane orthogonal to said mean plane of the corrugated plate and along a plane parallel to said first principal direction presents the shape of said first periodic oscillating curve.

[0022] Advantageously and according to the invention, said first oscillating curve is sinusoidal.

[0023] Advantageously and according to the invention, each of said second periodic oscillating curves is sinusoidal.

[0024] Advantageously and according to the invention, each crest line extends in a plane substantially parallel to a mean plane of said corrugated plate and each trough line extends in a plane substantially parallel to a mean plane of said corrugated plate.

[0025] Advantageously and according to the invention, each crest line of a first corrugated plate has a linear contact with a trough line of a second corrugated plate.

[0026] Advantageously, and according to the invention, said second principal direction of said second oscillating curve of each crest line of said first corrugated plate extends substantially orthogonally to said second principal direction of said second oscillating curve of each trough line of said second corrugated plate. Such a configuration corresponds, for example, to a variant of a panel according to the invention in which identical corrugated plates are superimposed, arranged alternately at 90° to one another.

[0027] Advantageously and according to the invention, said second principal direction of the second oscillating curve of each crest line of said first corrugated plate extends substantially parallel to said second principal direction of the second oscillating curve of each trough line of said second corrugated plate.

[0028] Thus, in any configuration of superposition of corrugated plates within a panel according to the invention, the corrugated plates are neither nested nor fitted together but arranged in relation to each other in such a way that they form channels or passages between each of them, the crest lines of a plate being only in contact with the trough lines of a corrugated plate arranged above it and so on.

[0029] It is possible to leave the spaces left free between each corrugated plate of a panel according to the invention or to fill at least in part these spaces with a filling material such as a cellular material or a material in liquid state, which may have a viscosity which may be greater or lesser depending on its nature.

[0030] Advantageously and according to the invention, each corrugated plate is formed of at least one material chosen from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys and composite materials.

[0031] The strength conferred by the structure of the corrugated sheets of a panel according to the invention is such that it allows the use of sheets with a particularly small thickness, which helps to limit the mass of a panel according to the invention. Advantageously, and according to the invention, each corrugated sheet has a thickness of less than 500 µm, in particular less than 100 µm, and especially a thickness between 20 µm and 80 µm. Each corrugated sheet has a substantially constant thickness.

[0032] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said two external plates are flat and parallel to each other.

[0033] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a panel in which said corrugated plates are arranged in such a way that each crest line of a first corrugated plate has at least a point contact with each trough line of a second corrugated plate.

[0034] The invention also relates to a panel and a method for manufacturing such a panel characterized in combination by all or part of the characteristics mentioned above or below. List of figures

[0035] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example only, and which refers to the accompanying figures in which: • Figure [1] is a schematic perspective view of a corrugated plate of a panel according to the invention, • Figure [Fig. 2] is a schematic cross-sectional view of a panel according to the invention in said first embodiment, • Figure 3 is a schematic view representing a crest line and a trough line of two corrugated plates of a panel according to the invention in said first embodiment, • Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a panel according to the invention in a second embodiment, • Figure 5 is a schematic view representing a crest line and a trough line of two corrugated plates of a panel according to the invention in said second embodiment, • [Fig.6] is a schematic view representing a crest line and a trough line of two corrugated plates of a panel according to the invention in a third embodiment.

[0036] Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0037] In the figures, the scales and proportions are not strictly respected for the purposes of illustration and clarity.

[0038] Identical, similar or analogous elements are designated by the same references in all figures.

[0039] Figures 1 to 6 illustrate a panel comprising a plurality of corrugated plates 2, 4, 6 arranged between two outer plates 20, 21. In particular, in all embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the two outer plates 20, 21 are flat and parallel to each other, as are the mean planes of each corrugated plate. However, nothing prevents a panel, and thus each outer plate 20, 21 and each mean surface of each corrugated plate 2, 4, 6, from having a non-zero overall curvature (in particular, the plates of the same panel being then substantially concentric with respect to each other and having large radii of curvature).

[0040] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a single corrugated plate 2 used within a panel according to the invention. Each corrugated plate 2, 4, 6 extends along a non-planar surface, on the one hand, along a first periodic oscillating curve 15 along at least a first principal direction 25 around a mean plane of said corrugated plate, and, on the other hand, along a non-planar surface along a second periodic oscillating curve such that any cross-section of said corrugated plate along a plane parallel to the mean plane of said corrugated plate presents at least two periodic oscillating curves, called second periodic oscillating curves, extending substantially parallel to each other.In particular, any cut of said corrugated plate along a surface parallel to said average surface of said corrugated plate exhibits a plurality of second periodic oscillating curves, depending on the dimensions of the corrugated plate and the period of the first periodic oscillating curve.

[0041] The corrugated plates are arranged so that the average surface or average plane (when said average surface is flat) of each corrugated plate 2, 4, 6 extends substantially parallel to the outer plates 20, 21.

[0042] Each corrugated plate 2, 4, 6 therefore has a plurality of crest lines 11, 12, 13 ([Fig. 1]) and a plurality of trough lines 14, 16, 18 (represented respectively in [Fig. 3], [Fig. 5], and [Fig. 6]), each crest line and each trough line extending along said second oscillating curve in a second principal direction or in a direction parallel to it. As can be seen in [Fig. 1], between each crest line 11, 12, 13, a trough zone 17 is distinguished.

[0043] In each of the different embodiments of a panel according to the invention, each crest line 11, 12, 13 of a first corrugated plate 2 has at least a point contact with each trough line 14, 16, 18 of a second corrugated plate 4, 6.

[0044] Said corrugated plates 2, 4, 6 and said external plates 20, 21 are configured such that the average plane (or average surface) of each corrugated plate is parallel to the outer plates 20, 21.

[0045] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate a panel according to a first embodiment in which identical corrugated plates are superimposed on one another and arranged in the same direction (relative to the first oscillating curve and the second oscillating curve). This configuration can be said to be at 0°.

[0046] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a panel comprising plates corrugated plates such as corrugated plate 2 shown in [Fig. 1]. [Fig. 3] shows crest lines 12 and trough lines 14 of two corrugated plates of this panel in linear contact with each other (a crest line 12 of a first corrugated plate in contact with a trough line 14 of a second corrugated plate). This sequence and these contacts are repeated at least as many times as there are corrugated plates within said panel, the corrugated plates not being in contact with an external plate 20, 21 being in contact with two distinct corrugated plates, one above and the other below, it being understood that the top is designated as the one in contact with a crest line, and the bottom as the one in contact with a trough line.

[0047] Furthermore, in [Fig.2], for the purposes of illustration and clarity only the corrugated plates and the external plates of the panel are shown; however, such a panel may also include side plates or any other element configured to help to hold the corrugated plates in place within the panel, particularly depending on the type of part or object manufactured.

[0048] In a second embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 4] and [Fig. 5], the corrugated plates are oriented relative to each other such that the crest lines 12 and trough lines 16 of two adjacent corrugated plates of the panel are orthogonal to each other (or more particularly, the first principal direction 25 of the first periodic oscillating curve 15 extends orthogonally to the principal direction of the second oscillating curve followed by each crest or trough line). This configuration can be described as 90°. It is also possible to provide for a plurality of intermediate configurations between 0° and 180°, in particular a so-called 45° configuration, for example.

[0049] In a third embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 6], the corrugated plates are oriented relative to each other such that the crest lines 12 and the trough lines 18 of two adjacent corrugated plates of the panel are out of phase, the principal direction of the second oscillating curve followed by each crest line coinciding with the principal direction of the second oscillating curve followed by the trough line. Thus, in this third embodiment, each first corrugated plate 2 has several point (but not line) contacts. with each trough line 18 of a second corrugated plate. This configuration can be said to be 180°, one corrugated plate out of two being configured as if it had undergone a 180° rotation relative to the position of the corrugated plate directly next to or adjacent to it.

[0050] Each corrugated plate 2, 4, 6 of a panel according to any one of these embodiments is formed of at least one material chosen from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys and composite materials and has a thickness of less than 500 pm, in particular less than 100 pm, and in particular a thickness between 20 pm and 80 pm.

[0051] The inventor has determined that a panel equipped with corrugated plates according to the invention exhibits a resistance to impacts by millimeter or centimeter objects exhibiting speeds of the order of 1 to 60 km / s that is quite exceptional.

[0052] Furthermore, nothing prevents us from providing that a panel according to the invention and each corrugated plate thereof do not necessarily extend in a plane but may have a slight curvature or a non-zero curvature.

Claims

1.

2.

3. Demands Panel comprising a plurality of plates, called corrugated plates (2, 4, 6), arranged between two parallel outer plates (20, 21), in which: • each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) extends along a non-planar surface following a first oscillating curve (15) periodic in at least one first principal direction (25) around an average surface of said corrugated plate, • said average surface of each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) extends substantially parallel to said external plates (20, 21), said panel being characterized in that: • each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) further extends along a non-planar surface following a second periodic oscillating curve such that any cross-section of said corrugated plate along a surface parallel to said average surface of said corrugated plate presents at least two periodic oscillating curves, called second periodic oscillating curves, extending substantially parallel to each other, • each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) has a plurality of crest lines (11, 12, 13) and a plurality of trough lines, each crest line and each trough line extending along said second oscillating curve in a second principal direction or in a direction parallel to said second principal direction, • said corrugated plates are configured such that each crest line (11, 12, 13) of a first corrugated plate (2) has at least a point contact with each trough line (14, 16, 18) of a second corrugated plate (4, 6). Panel according to claim 1, characterized in that said first oscillating curve (15) is sinusoidal. Panel according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each of said second periodic oscillating curves is sinusoidal.

4. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each ridge line (11, 12, 13) extends in a plane substantially parallel to a mean plane of said corrugated plate and each trough line extends in a plane substantially parallel to a mean plane of said corrugated plate.

5. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each crest line (11, 12, 13) of a first corrugated plate (2) has a linear contact with a trough line of a second corrugated plate (4, 6).

6. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said second principal direction of said second oscillating curve of each crest line of said first corrugated plate (2) extends substantially orthogonally to said second principal direction of said second oscillating curve of each trough line of said second corrugated plate (6).

7. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said second principal direction of the second oscillating curve of each crest line of said first corrugated plate (2) extends substantially parallel to said second principal direction of the second oscillating curve of each trough line of said second corrugated plate.

8. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys and composite materials.

9. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) has a thickness of less than 500 pm.

10. Panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each corrugated plate (2, 4, 6) has a thickness between 20 pm and 80 pm.

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