Zigzag Roller Blind Core for Aircraft Galley Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller blinds for galleys in commercial aircraft and ships are complex to produce and costly, with a requirement for flame-retardancy and high stability, while current sandwich structures with honeycomb cores necessitate additional slit creation steps.
Innovation Solution
A roller blind design featuring a support core with a zigzag or wave-like curvature, made from a textile matrix of resin or thermoplastic material, with a flexible second cover layer and a first cover layer connected to the wave crests, allowing for multiple bends without damage and eliminating the need for slits, while meeting flame-retardant standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a honeycomb core sandwich structure is used for roller blinds, then the blinds achieve sufficient rigidity and flame resistance, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and costly due to the need for additional slit creation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The support core is segmented into a zigzag or wave-like pattern with multiple crests and troughs, creating inherent flexibility along the bending axis while maintaining structural rigidity perpendicular to the bending direction. This segmentation eliminates the need for additional slits to enable bending.
Solution Approach 2:
The sandwich structure has different mechanical properties in different directions: high rigidity perpendicular to the wave crests for structural support, and high flexibility parallel to the wave crests for bending motion. This anisotropic local quality allows the blind to be both strong and flexible without requiring separate slit creation steps.
2Reliability
If a flat, rigid sandwich structure is used for roller blinds, then the blinds meet flame resistance standards, but the material cannot be bent frequently without damage due to its rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The support core is designed with a curved zigzag or wave-like cross-section instead of a flat configuration. This curvature allows the structure to bend flexibly along the axis parallel to the wave crests while maintaining the rigid sandwich structure for flame resistance and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller blind uses a composite sandwich structure with a textile support core embedded in a matrix material, covered by flexible outer layers. This composite construction combines the flame resistance of the matrix material with the flexibility of the textile and outer layers, enabling frequent bending without damage.
3Ease of operation
If slots are created in the surface material to enable bending, then the blind can be rolled and curved, but an additional manufacturing step is required which increases production complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The zigzag or wave-like curvature is built into the support core during the primary manufacturing process, before the blind is assembled or installed. This preliminary shaping of the support core provides the necessary bending capability without requiring subsequent slit creation or modification steps.
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 reduces production complexity and cost by enabling frequent bending and rolling of the blind without destruction, maintaining stability and compliance with Airbus Directive ABD 0100.1.6, and allows for smooth operation in curved guides.
Implementation Method 1
the support core is formed from a textile in a matrix of a resin or a thermoplastic material; and the surface material together with the support core, the first and the second top layer is bendable multiple times without damage
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A roller blind made of a sheet material with a sandwich structure, comprising a support core (10) with a plurality of cavities, a first cover layer (52) on a first side of the support core (10); and a second cover layer (54) parallel to the first cover layer (52) on a second side of the support core (10); is characterized in that the second cover layer (54) is flexible and capable of being bent multiple times without damage; the support core (10) is alternately curved up and down in a zigzag or wave-like pattern in one direction, so that it is capable of being bent multiple times without damage about an axis parallel to the course of the curves; and the support core (10) is formed from a textile (12) in a matrix of a thermoplastic material or a resin matrix.