Composite Grid Structures Using Staggered Finite-Length Tapes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional composite laminate structures face inefficiencies due to their discrete nature, requiring thick sub-laminates for symmetry and balance, leading to excessive thickness, manufacturing complexities, and limitations in achieving optimal material characteristics, especially in applications like fuselage or wing skins where thinner laminates are needed.
Innovation Solution
A composite grid structure with staggered joint configurations using elongate tapes oriented at specific angles, allowing for efficient manufacturing and improved flexural stiffness, while reducing weight and simplifying fabrication by eliminating the need for continuous tapes and discontinuous inserts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional composite laminate structures use symmetric and balanced ply layers to emulate metal characteristics, then strength characteristics are improved, but laminate thickness becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the laminate structure into discrete tape segments with finite lengths arranged in staggered patterns. Instead of continuous symmetric plies, the structure uses segmented tapes oriented at various angles (0°, ±45°, 90°) that are discontinuous and staggered, eliminating the need for thick symmetric sub-laminates while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric tape arrangements where tapes are oriented at specific angles (0°, ±45°, 90°) in a non-symmetric staggered pattern. This asymmetric configuration achieves the desired strength characteristics without requiring the symmetric ply stacking that leads to excessive thickness in conventional laminates
2Strength
If legacy quad laminates use multiple plies to achieve desired directional properties, then directional strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the laminate into discrete tape portions with finite lengths arranged in staggered patterns. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing where pre-cut tapes can be directly placed in their final positions without complex layer-by-layer stacking and alignment procedures required by traditional multi-ply laminates
Solution Approach 2:
The tapes are pre-cut to specific finite lengths and pre-oriented at the required angles (0°, ±45°, 90°) before placement. This preliminary preparation of tape segments eliminates the need for complex in-situ cutting and alignment during manufacturing, reducing overall manufacturing complexity
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional laminates require mid-plane symmetry, then structural stability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric staggered tape arrangements that achieve structural stability without requiring mid-plane symmetry. The staggered discontinuous tapes oriented at 0°, ±45°, and 90° create a balanced structure through their spatial distribution rather than through symmetric stacking, thereby reducing weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the conventional two-dimensional symmetric stacking approach to a three-dimensional staggered arrangement where tapes are positioned at different depths and orientations. This dimensional change allows structural stability to be achieved through spatial distribution rather than symmetric repetition, reducing the total material required
4Strength
If thick sub-laminates are used to achieve minimum gauge requirements, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability to thin-section applications decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using discontinuous tapes of finite lengths that can be selectively placed only where structural support is needed. This allows the structure to achieve necessary integrity in specific regions while maintaining thin overall thickness in other areas, providing adaptability to various gauge requirements
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the laminate into discrete tape portions rather than using continuous thick sub-laminates, the structure can be locally optimized. Tapes can be placed strategically to provide strength where needed while leaving other areas thin, enabling adaptation to both thick and thin section applications
Data Source
AI summary
Described are composite grid structures that have a plurality of ply layers, each one of the plurality of ply layers comprising a plurality of first elongate tapes oriented in a first direction and a plurality of second elongate tapes oriented in a second direction, the second direction being offset from the first direction by an angle of at least 25 degrees. In the grid structures: each of the first elongate tapes has a first length extending between opposing ends of each of the plurality of first elongate tapes and a first midpoint intermediate the opposing ends, and each of the second elongate tapes has a second length extending between opposing ends of each of the plurality of second elongate tapes and a second midpoint intermediate the opposing ends. Associated composite laminate structures, grid structures, and methods of manufacturing and/or using the same are also disclosed.