Nested Polymeric Core Structure for High Strength-to-Weight Ratio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cellular structures, such as sandwich panels, face limitations in achieving high strength-to-weight ratios and ease of manufacturing for load-bearing applications like floors, walls, and bridges, particularly in using polymeric materials.
Innovation Solution
A single-layer molded polymeric core structure with cells or receptacles arranged in rows and columns, featuring symmetrical three-dimensional geometries with inwardly sloping walls, allowing for increased strength and ease of manufacturing through compression molding, and enabling lamination with additional sheets for enhanced properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional sandwich panels with corrugated or honeycomb cores are used, then compression and bending strengths are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The core structure is divided into multiple cells or receptacles arranged in rows and columns, with each cell having inwardly sloping walls that form an interior floor. This segmentation provides structural strength while maintaining manufacturability through standardized repeating units
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the core structure and skin layers into a single integrated molded polymeric component. The skin layers are formed as integral parts of the cellular core through co-molding or overmolding processes, eliminating separate assembly steps and reducing manufacturing complexity
2Weight of moving object
If cellular structures are made from polymeric materials, then weight is reduced, but load-bearing capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cellular structure uses varying cell geometries and wall thicknesses in different regions to optimize local load-bearing properties. Cells in high-stress areas have thicker walls or different configurations, while low-stress areas use thinner walls to minimize weight
Solution Approach 2:
The structure combines polymeric materials with optimized cellular geometries to achieve high strength-to-weight ratios. The inwardly sloping walls and interior floors create efficient load distribution paths that maximize the mechanical properties of the polymeric material
3Ease of manufacture
If single-layer molded polymeric core structures are used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but structural robustness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The single-layer molded structure contains nested cellular geometries where cells are positioned within cells, creating a robust three-dimensional network. The inwardly sloping walls and interior floors form nested structural features that provide strength while being formed in a single molding operation
Data Source
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AI summary
A molded plastic core structure acceptable to numerous uses and characterized by high structural strength to weight ratio. The structure typically comprises a two-sided array of cell-like receptacles having inwardly sloping walls that form floors. Receptacles in one side are inverted relative to receptacles in the opposite side and are inter-nested between one another to minimize the volume of plastic used. The walls and floors can be circular, square or triangular in plan view. Where square or triangular, the walls include both major and minor wall sections alternatingly interspersed with one another. Two or more core structures can be joined to one another with the receptacles of one panel being aligned with the receptacles of the joined other panel to form closed, syntactic cells that give the resulting structure high enclosed volume to surface area and weight ratios.