Reinforcement Structure Corner Gap Variation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional reinforcement structures, such as steel plate reinforcement sheets with glass cloth and thermosetting resin layers, fail to provide intensive reinforcement at corner portions of adherends, leading to limitations in improving the strength of industrial products under external forces.

Innovation Solution

A reinforcement structure comprising a front layer with fibers positioned at spaced intervals and a core material layer with varying thicknesses, specifically thicker near corner portions, is applied to adherends, allowing for increased reinforcement and strength improvement by gradually increasing gaps between the front layer and adherend surfaces as they approach the corners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If glass cloth is positioned at a fixed interval to the adherend surface, then the reinforcement sheet can be easily manufactured, but intensive reinforcement at corner portions cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength of adherendVSAvoidcomplexity of reinforcement sheet structure

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gap between the front layer and adherend surface is set to vary locally: smaller at corner portions for intensive reinforcement, and larger at other portions for ease of manufacture. This local differentiation of gap size allows simultaneous achievement of corner reinforcement and manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcement sheet is divided into different regions with different gap characteristics: corner portions with small gaps for intensive reinforcement, and other portions with large gaps for ease of manufacture. This segmentation allows each region to serve its specific function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If uniform gap is maintained between front layer and adherend surface, then manufacturing is simple, but stress concentration at corners cannot be effectively addressed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength at corner portionVSAvoidease of manufacturing reinforcement sheet

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The gap size is differentiated by location: small gaps at corner portions to address stress concentration and provide intensive reinforcement, and large gaps at other portions to maintain manufacturing simplicity. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the reinforcement sheet uses varying gap configuration, then intensive reinforcement at corners is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintensive reinforcement at cornerVSAvoidcomplexity of reinforcement sheet configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement sheet employs local quality variation with different gap sizes at different locations: small gaps at corners for intensive reinforcement and large gaps elsewhere. This targeted approach achieves corner reinforcement while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcement sheet is segmented into corner portions with small gaps and other portions with large gaps, allowing each segment to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3718758B1Reinforcement structure and producing method of reinforcement structure

Publication Date: 2024.10.09 NITTO DENKO CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

A reinforcement structure includes an adherend and a reinforcement sheet adhering to the adherend and reinforcing the adherend. The adherend includes a first surface extending in a first direction, a second surface extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a first corner portion connecting the first surface to the second surface. The reinforcement sheet includes a front layer containing a plurality of fibers and positioned at spaced intervals to the first surface, the second surface, and the first corner portion and a core material layer containing a resin and disposed between the front layer and the adherend. The front layer includes a first front layer portion positioned at spaced intervals to the first surface in the second direction and extending in the first direction, a second front layer portion positioned at spaced intervals to the second surface in the first direction and extending in the second direction, and a third front layer portion positioned at spaced intervals to the first corner portion in a third direction crossing both directions of the first direction and the second direction and connecting the first front layer portion to the second front layer portion. A gap between the first surface and the third front layer portion in the second direction gradually increases as it gets closer to the first corner portion in the first direction with respect to a gap between the first surface and the first front layer portion in the second direction, and a gap between the second surface and the third front layer portion in the first direction gradually increases as it gets closer to the first corner portion in the second direction with respect to a gap between the second surface and the second front layer portion in the first direction.