Composite Tubular Structure With Internal Web for Lightweight Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) tubular structures face limitations in enhancing mechanical performance without increasing weight, particularly in handling complex load profiles and environmental conditions, as traditional methods like increasing thickness or using dissimilar reinforcement fibres or fillers are costly and may compromise weight or functionality.
Innovation Solution
A tubular structure design featuring an internal web made of fibre reinforced plastics, with laminated layers that can be bonded or co-consolidated, allowing for varied fibre orientations and materials across different layers to improve mechanical performance without weight increase, and a manufacturing method involving expanding inner tubes within an outer tube to form a composite structure with enhanced stiffness and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of FRP sections is increased to improve strength or stiffness, then mechanical performance is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining FRP sections with cellular materials (foams) to create a hybrid structure. The cellular material fills the interior space of the tubular structure, providing additional mechanical support and stiffness without requiring increased wall thickness. This composite approach allows the structure to achieve improved strength and stiffness characteristics while maintaining the lightweight advantage of thin-walled FRP sections, as the foam material has low density and adds minimal weight compared to solid FRP material.
2Strength
If cellular materials are used to fill the FRP tube to improve energy absorption, then energy absorption characteristics are improved, but the tube cannot be used as conduits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the interior space of the tubular structure into multiple compartments using partition walls or septa. These partitions segment the cellular material into separate sections, creating voids or channels that can accommodate conduits, cables, or fluid passages. The cellular material is placed in the remaining spaces, providing energy absorption and structural support. This segmented approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve improved energy absorption characteristics while maintaining conduit functionality for various applications.
3Strength
If dissimilar reinforcement fibres are incorporated to improve mechanical properties, then specific mechanical properties are improved, but manufacturing costs significantly increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by strategically placing different types of reinforcement fibres in specific regions of the FRP structure based on local stress and loading conditions. High-strength, high-cost fibres (such as carbon fibres) are used in areas subjected to critical loads or stress concentrations, while lower-cost fibres (such as glass fibres) are used in regions with lower mechanical demands. This localized fibre reinforcement approach optimizes the mechanical properties of the structure where needed most, while significantly reducing overall manufacturing costs compared to using dissimilar fibres throughout the entire structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A tubular structure (1) formed by a plurality of circumferentially continuous tubes (11, 12) of fibre reinforced plastics material. The structure (1) comprises an outer shell (14) and at least one internal web (15). The plurality of tubes (11, 12) are bonded together and comprise a plurality of inner tubes (12) located inside an outer tube (11) such that they form each of the outer shell (14) and the internal web (15) with a pair of laminated layers of fibre reinforced plastics material bonded to one another.