FRP Door with Polycarbonate Ballistic Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing door panels with fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) and steel reinforcements are heavy, costly, and inefficient in terms of thermal performance and weight, leading to increased maintenance, lifecycle costs, and shipment expenses, while also being vulnerable to corrosion and thermal transfer.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid core FRP door design featuring spaced polymeric sheets made of thermoplastic materials with blast- or ballistic-resistant core layers and foam insulation, which reduces weight and improves structural integrity, thermal efficiency, and sound transmission class without sacrificing blast or ballistic resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heavy gauge steel components and armor plating are used to meet blast and ballistic resistance requirements, then safety and protection performance are improved, but door weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite core structure combining foam insulation material with fiber-reinforced plastic layers to achieve blast and ballistic resistance without the weight penalty of solid steel armor. The composite construction allows the door to meet safety ratings while maintaining significantly reduced weight compared to traditional steel armor plate doors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies reinforcement selectively at critical locations rather than using uniform heavy gauge steel throughout. The fiber-reinforced plastic core provides localized strength where needed for blast and ballistic resistance while keeping non-critical areas lightweight through foam insulation material.
2Strength
If steel reinforcements and armor plating are used to meet structural requirements, then strength and protection are improved, but thermal efficiency deteriorates due to thermal conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces foam insulation material as an intermediary layer between the exterior panels and the fiber-reinforced plastic core. This intermediary provides thermal insulation to block heat transfer while the fiber-reinforced plastic layer provides the necessary structural strength, separating the thermal protection function from the structural support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different materials with different properties to different layers: the foam insulation material handles thermal insulation requirements while the fiber-reinforced plastic core handles structural strength requirements, allowing each material to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
3Reliability
If heavy gauge steel components are used to meet ballistic resistance ratings, then protection performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber-reinforced plastic core serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides ballistic and blast resistance, structural strength, thermal insulation, and dimensional stability. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate steel armor plate, steel reinforcements, and thermal insulation layers, simplifying the overall door construction and reducing inventory requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple separate components (steel armor, steel reinforcements, thermal insulation material) into a single integrated fiber-reinforced plastic core structure with foam insulation, reducing the number of parts and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining all required performance characteristics.
4Strength
If solid FRP pultrusions and heavy core materials are used to meet structural requirements, then structural integrity is improved, but door weight and freight costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite construction combining lightweight foam insulation material with fiber-reinforced plastic layers to achieve the necessary structural integrity. The fiber-reinforced plastic provides structural strength while the foam provides core stability, creating a lightweight yet structurally sound door core that reduces weight compared to solid FRP pultrusions or heavy metal cores.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a lighter, more efficient door panel with enhanced thermal insulation, reduced weight, and improved structural strength, while maintaining or exceeding blast and ballistic resistance standards, and reducing inventory complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a foam insulation material fills substantially of the space therebetween
Implementation Method 2
At least one polymeric sheet is between the first and second exterior panels, the at least one polymeric sheet being made of a thermoplastic material. The polymeric sheet has a plurality of openings through a thickness thereof, and the openings are spaced apart by flat wall portions of the polymeric sheet.
Data Source
AI summary
A structural panel includes a shell having spaced first and second fiber reinforced polyester (FRP) exterior panels and separate frame members adjacent edges of the FRP panels, and at least one polymeric sheet disposed between the FRP exterior panels and bonded to an adjacent exterior panel. The polymeric sheet is made of a thermoplastic material and has a plurality of openings through its thickness spaced apart by flat wall portions of the polymeric sheet. At least one blast- or ballistic-resistant core layer is disposed adjacent the at least one polymeric sheet. A curable and hardenable foam insulation material fills substantially all the space between the polymeric sheets, frame members, and blast- or ballistic-resistant core layer in the shell interior.