IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0411440
(2006-04-25)
|
등록번호 |
US-7464574
(2008-12-16)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Durney,Max W.
- Pendley,Alan D.
- Rappaport,Irving S.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
16 인용 특허 :
33 |
초록
▼
A process for designing and manufacturing precision-folded, high strength, fatigue-resistant structures and a sheet therefore. The techniques include methods for precision bending of a sheet of material (41, 241, 341, 441, 541) along a bend line (45, 245, 345, 445, 543) and a sheet of material forme
A process for designing and manufacturing precision-folded, high strength, fatigue-resistant structures and a sheet therefore. The techniques include methods for precision bending of a sheet of material (41, 241, 341, 441, 541) along a bend line (45, 245, 345, 445, 543) and a sheet of material formed with bending strap-defining structures, such as slits or grooves (43, 243, 343, 443, 542), are disclosed. Methods include steps of designing and then separately forming longitudinally extending slits or grooves (43, 243, 343, 443, 542) through the sheet of material in axially spaced relation to produce precise bending of the sheet (41, 241, 341, 441, 541) when bent along the bend line (45, 245, 345, 445, 543). The bending straps have a configuration and orientation which increases their strength and fatigue resistance, and most preferably slits or arcs are used which causes edges (257, 457) to be engaged and supported on faces (255, 455) of the sheet material on opposite sides of the slits or arcs. The edge-to-face contact produces bending along a virtual fulcrum position in superimposed relation to the bend line (45, 245, 345, 445, 543). Several slit embodiments (43, 243, 343, 443, 542) suitable for producing edge-to-face engagement support and precise bending are disclosed, as is the use of the slit sheets to produce various three-dimensional structures and to enhance various design and fabrication techniques.
대표청구항
▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of forming a structure comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of bend-facilitating structures in a sheet of material, the plurality of bend-facilitating structures being configured and positioned relative to a plurality of bend lines to produce bending of
The invention claimed is: 1. A method of forming a structure comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of bend-facilitating structures in a sheet of material, the plurality of bend-facilitating structures being configured and positioned relative to a plurality of bend lines to produce bending of the sheet of material along the bend lines, wherein said bend facilitating structures are slits having a kerf, each slit providing an edge and an opposing face in the sheet of material, the slits being configured to promote edge-to-face contact during the bending step; bending the sheet of material along a first bend line; bending the sheet of material along at least one additional bend line until two portions of the sheet of material are abutting; coupling together the two abutting portions of the sheet of material to produce a rigid load bearing, three-dimensional structure capable of supporting three-dimensional loading. 2. The method defined in claim 1, further including the step of: laying out in a CAD system the plurality of bend-facilitating structures, wherein the forming step is accomplished by forming said bend-facilitating structures in said sheet of material identically to the way said structures are laid out on said CAD system. 3. The method of forming a product defined in claim 1, before the forming step, further including the steps of: laying out a design of the product in two dimensions; and designing a configuration of and positioning for the bend-facilitating structures, with each bend-facilitating structure located in a laterally offset position on opposite sides of a desired bend line and to be longitudinally displaced relative to an adjacent bend-facilitating structure along the bend line, the bend-facilitating structures to be configured to produce interengagement of solid edges of said sheet of solid material on opposite sides of the bend-facilitating structures during bending of the sheet of solid material. 4. The method as defined in claim 1, and the additional step of: prior to the step of bending along the first bend line, shipping the formed sheet of material in a flat state for bending of the sheet of material at a remote location. 5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein, the bending step is accomplished by bending the sheet of material at a remote location about a virtual fulcrum aligned with the bend line to produce deformation of the sheet of material along the bend lines. 6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein, the coupling step is accomplishment by a securing structure. 7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein, the securing structure includes at least one fastener. 8. The method defined in claim 6 wherein, the securing structure includes a tab and slot configuration. 9. The method defined in claim 6 wherein, the securing structure includes a projection extending from an edge of the sheet of material and a slot in an abutting portion of the sheet of material whereby the slot and projection are configured to engage each other during the coupling step. 10. The method defined in claim 6 wherein,the securing structure locks the abutting portions together during the coupling step. 11. The method defined claim 1 wherein, the forming step is accomplished by forming the bend-facilitating structures as slits with a kerf producing sliding of edges on one side of the slit on faces on the other side of the slit during bending to position the edges in supporting relation to the faces of the sheet of material on opposite sides of the slit during bending. 12. The method defined, in claim 11 wherein, the step of bending along the first bend line is accomplished by bending, the sheet of material about a virtual fulcrum aligned with the first bend line to produce plastic and elastic deformation of the sheet of material adjacent the slit.
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