Composite Honeycomb Part Structure With Braided Sock Reinforcement

The patent uses a hybrid composite structure combining continuous braided fibers for the sock and discontinuous long fibers for the strip. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both the drapability needed for complex honeycomb geometries and the mechanical strength required for high-performance applications, resolving the contradiction between production feasibility and mechanical performance.

The patent applies different fiber configurations to different locations: continuous braided fibers in the sock provide structural integrity and fiber continuity at junctions, while discontinuous long fibers in the strip provide drapability for complex shapes. This local differentiation allows each region to contribute its optimal properties to the final part performance.

The patent segments the fibrous reinforcement into two functional components: the braided sock that forms the honeycomb cell walls and the strip that reinforces specific areas. This segmentation allows the sock to be formed as a single continuous piece using simple braiding, avoiding the need to drape each cell individually while still achieving high mechanical performance through the combination with the strip.

The braided sock acts as an intermediary structure that simplifies the manufacturing process. Instead of directly draping complex pre-laminated sheets over each cell, the sock provides a pre-formed, flexible substrate that can be easily manipulated and positioned, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining structural integrity.

The patent merges two fiber types into a single hybrid structure: continuous braided fibers in the sock provide consistent structural properties and fiber continuity at junctions, while discontinuous long fibers in the strip contribute to cost reduction and shape complexity. This merging allows the continuous fibers to compensate for the variability inherent in discontinuous fibers, maintaining reliability while achieving cost benefits.

The hybrid composite structure combines the advantages of both continuous and discontinuous fibers. The continuous braided sock ensures consistent mechanical properties and prevents pull-out at junctions, while the discontinuous strip reduces manufacturing cost and enables complex shapes. Together, they create a material system that is both reliable and cost-effective.

The hybrid composite structure enables thin cell walls to achieve both aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical strength. The continuous braided sock provides a consistent structural framework that maintains integrity at thin sections, while the discontinuous long fibers in the strip reinforce critical areas, allowing the cell walls to be made thin for aerodynamic performance without sacrificing mechanical strength.

The patent applies reinforcement locally where needed: the strip of discontinuous long fibers is positioned to reinforce specific areas of the honeycomb structure, while the continuous braided sock provides uniform structural support throughout. This local quality approach allows thin cell walls in non-critical areas for aerodynamic efficiency while maintaining strength in critical regions through targeted reinforcement.