Cellular Reinforcing Structure with Material Attenuations for Brittle Composites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing three-dimensionally deformable sheet-like reinforcing structures face limitations in flexibility and manufacturing precision, particularly when using brittle cellular base materials, which restrict their ability to be warped and integrated into composite materials effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a three-dimensionally deformable sheet-like reinforcing structure by incorporating material attenuations into a cellular base material to form convex polygons, such as rhombi and triangles, which are connected by bridges, allowing for enhanced flexibility and mechanical isotropy, and enabling the use of brittle materials in multi-dimensional composite applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If material attenuations are incorporated into brittle cellular base material to create fine structure, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the material becomes more prone to cracks and ruptures
Solution Approach 1:
The base material is segmented into multiple material islands through systematic material attenuations. This segmentation allows the structure to accommodate stress distribution more effectively while maintaining precise geometric control over the attenuation patterns, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and crack resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cellular base material structure is designed beforehand to include cushioning elements that prevent crack propagation. The cellular structure acts as a pre-engineered protection system that absorbs stress before cracks can develop, allowing high-precision material attenuations to be incorporated without compromising reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If honeycombed reinforcing structure with material islands and bridges is used, then flexibility is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separating tool is divided into multiple independent separating elements that can be arranged in systematic patterns. Each element creates a material attenuation, and the collective arrangement forms the honeycombed structure. This segmentation allows complex flexible structures to be manufactured using standardized, modular tooling components.
Solution Approach 2:
The separating elements are designed with universal applicability to create multiple types of material attenuations (grooves, slots, depressions) using the same basic tooling concept. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity by eliminating the need for specialized tools for each attenuation type while maintaining the flexibility of the final reinforcing structure.
3Productivity
If multiple separating elements are arranged on common support, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but fineness of structuring is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The separating elements are segmented into distinct, independently controllable units that can be precisely positioned. This segmentation allows each element to create fine-precision material attenuations while maintaining the efficiency of multi-element simultaneous operation. The modular nature enables high productivity without sacrificing structuring fineness.
Solution Approach 2:
The tooling system allows dynamic adjustment of separation depth, angle, and spacing parameters to optimize both manufacturing efficiency and structuring fineness. By changing these parameters rather than altering the fundamental multi-element arrangement, the system achieves high precision fine structuring while maintaining the productivity benefits of parallel processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A reinforcing structure made of a sheet-like cellular base material which comprises material attenuations (3) in a distribution over its area in a view from above, wherein the material attenuations sub-divide the base material into a multitude of material islands (1R; 1T) which are delineated from each other by the material attenuations (3) but are still connected to each other, wherein(a) the material islands (1R; 1T) are convex base polygons in a view from above;(b) a respective plurality of the material islands (1R; 1T) jointly form a convex and preferably regular compound polygon (1H) in a view from above; and(c) the compound polygons (1H) differ, in their number of corners and/or in a ratio of the lengths of their sides, from the base polygons which form the material islands (1R; 1T).