대표
청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An integrally woven three-dimensional preform comprising: a base fabric comprising: a first woven fabric; a second woven fabric; a third woven fabric; a plurality of yarns interwoven between said first woven fabric and said second woven fabric, wherein said plurality of yarns are interwoven over a region between said first fabric and said second fabric and said first fabric is foldable relative to said second fabric; and a plurality of yarns interwoven between said second woven fabric and said third woven fabric, wherein said plur...
What is claimed is: 1. An integrally woven three-dimensional preform comprising: a base fabric comprising: a first woven fabric; a second woven fabric; a third woven fabric; a plurality of yarns interwoven between said first woven fabric and said second woven fabric, wherein said plurality of yarns are interwoven over a region between said first fabric and said second fabric and said first fabric is foldable relative to said second fabric; and a plurality of yarns interwoven between said second woven fabric and said third woven fabric, wherein said plurality of yarns are interwoven over a region between said second fabric and said third fabric and said third fabric is foldable relative to said second fabric, wherein said first fabric foldable relative to said second fabric is folded to form a first stiffening rib in a first direction, and said third fabric foldable relative to said second fabric is folded to form a second stiffening rib in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first stiffening rib. 2. The woven base fabric of claim 1, wherein said base fabric is woven using a Jacquard loom. 3. The woven fabric of claim 1, wherein said base fabric is woven using a harness loom. 4. The woven base fabric of claim 1, wherein said first woven fabric is cut from a top surface of said second woven fabric. 5. The woven base fabric of claim 4, wherein a first portion on a first side of an interwoven region of said first woven fabric is foldable together with a first portion on a second side of the interwoven region of said first woven fabric to form a stiffener in a first direction. 6. The woven base fabric of claim 5, wherein a second portion of said stiffener is foldable to form a reinforcing member for a stiffener formed in a second direction. 7. The woven base fabric of claim 1, wherein said third woven fabric is foldable relative to said first and said second woven fabrics. 8. The woven base fabric of claim 7, wherein a first portion of said foldable second woven fabric and a first portion of said third woven fabric form a stiffener in a second direction. 9. The woven base fabric of claim 8, wherein a second portion of said foldable second woven fabric is coplanar with a second portion of said third woven fabric, to form a panel portion of said three-dimensional preform. 10. The woven base fabric of claim 1, wherein a plurality of yarns are interwoven between said first and said second woven fabrics in a plurality of independent regions. 11. The woven base fabric of claim 10, wherein said first woven fabric is foldable relative to said second and said third woven fabrics. 12. The woven base fabric of claim 10, wherein said first woven fabric is cut from a top surface of said second woven fabric in a plurality of regions. 13. The woven base fabric of claim 12, wherein a plurality of first portions on a plurality of first sides of a plurality of said interwoven regions of said first and second woven fabrics are foldable together with a plurality of first portions on a plurality of second sides of a plurality of said interwoven regions of said first and second woven fabrics to form a plurality of stiffeners in a first direction. 14. The woven base fabric of claim 13, wherein second portions of said plurality of stiffeners are foldable to form a plurality of reinforcing members for a stiffener formed in a second direction. 15. The woven base fabric of claim 10, wherein said second and said third woven fabrics are foldable relative to said first woven fabric. 16. The woven base fabric of claim 15, wherein a first portion of said foldable second woven fabric and a first portion of said foldable third woven fabric provide a stiffener in a second direction. 17. The woven base fabric of claim 15, wherein a second portion of said second woven fabric is coplanar with a second portion of said third woven fabric. 18. The woven base fabric of claim 1 further comprising: a fourth woven fabric; and a plurality of yarns interwoven between said third woven fabric and said fourth woven fabric, wherein said plurality of yarns are interwoven over a region between said third fabric and said fourth fabric to allow said fourth woven fabric to be foldable relative to said third woven fabric. 19. The woven base fabric of claim 18, wherein said first woven fabric is foldable relative to said second, said third and said fourth woven fabrics. 20. The woven base fabric of claim 18, wherein said first woven fabric is cut from a top surface of said second woven fabric. 21. The woven base fabric of claim 20, wherein a first portion on a first side of an interwoven region of said first and second woven fabrics is foldable together with a first portion on a second side of the interwoven region of said first and second woven fabrics to form a stiffener in a first direction. 22. The woven base fabric of claim 21, wherein a portion of said stiffener is foldable to form a reinforcing member for a stiffener formed in a second direction. 23. The woven base fabric of claim 18, wherein said third and said fourth woven fabrics are foldable relative to said first and said second woven fabrics. 24. The woven base fabric of claim 18, wherein said fourth woven fabric is cut from a top surface of said third woven fabric. 25. The woven base fabric of claim 24, wherein a first portion on a first side of an interwoven region of said third and said fourth woven fabrics is foldable together with a first portion on a second side of the interwoven region of said third and said fourth woven fabrics to form a stiffener in a first direction. 26. The woven base fabric of claim 25, wherein a second portion of said stiffener is foldable to form a reinforcing member for a stiffener formed in a second direction. 27. The woven base fabric of claim 26, wherein a first portion of said foldable second and third woven fabrics provide a stiffener formed in the second direction. 28. The woven base fabric of claim 27 wherein a second portion of said foldable second woven fabric is coplanar with a second portion of said third woven fabric. 29. The woven base fabric of claim 28 wherein the resulting folded three-dimensional preform has a symmetrical configuration. 30. The woven base fabric of claim 1, wherein said fabrics are woven with warp and weft yarns or fibers. 31. The woven base fabric of claim 30, wherein the warp fiber pattern is any pattern selected from the group consisting of ply-to-ply, orthogonal, and angle interlock. 32. The woven base fabric of claim 30, wherein the interwoven yarns are warp yarns. 33. The woven base fabric of claim 30, wherein the interwoven yarns are weft yarns. 34. The woven base fabric of claim 30, wherein said warp and weft yarns are selected from the group of synthetic or natural materials consisting of carbon, nylon, rayon, polyester, fiberglass, cotton, glass, ceramic, aramid, and polyethylene. 35. The woven preform of claim 1 wherein a composite structure is formed from a process selected from the group consisting of resin transfer molding and chemical vapor filtration. 36. The composite structure of claim 35, wherein a matrix material is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyester, vinyl-ester, ceramic, and carbon. 37. An integrally woven three dimensional preform comprising: three or more woven fabrics; a first stiffener constructed from a foldable first fabric with a plurality of yarns interwoven between a first fabric and a second fabric, at least a portion of said first stiffener folded to reinforce a stiffener in a second direction; a second stiffener in angular relation to said first stiffener, said second stiffener constructed from a portion of the second fabric and a third fabric; and a foldable third fabric with a plurality of yarns interwoven between said second fabric and said third fabric. 38. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein said preform is woven using a Jacquard loom. 39. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein said preform is woven using a harness loom. 40. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein the woven fabrics are woven with warp and weft yarns or fibers. 41. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein said preform has a symmetrical configuration. 42. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein said preform has one stiffener in a first direction and a plurality of stiffeners in a second direction, said plurality of stiffeners in angular relation to said first stiffener. 43. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein the warp fiber pattern is any pattern selected from the group consisting of ply-to-ply, orthogonal, and angle interlock. 44. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein the interwoven yarns are warp yarns. 45. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein the interwoven yarns are weft yarns. 46. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein said warp and weft yarns are selected from the group of synthetic or natural materials consisting of carbon, nylon, rayon, polyester, fiberglass, cotton, glass, ceramic, aramid, and polyethylene. 47. The integrally woven three dimensional preform of claim 37, wherein a composite structure is formed from a process selected from the group consisting of resin transfer molding and chemical vapor filtration. 48. The composite structure of claim 47, wherein a matrix material is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyester, vinyl-ester, ceramic, and carbon. 49. A method of forming an integrally woven three dimensional preform according to claim 1, said method comprising the steps of: providing three or more woven fabrics; interweaving a plurality of yarns from a first woven fabric with a plurality of yarns from a second woven fabric, said first woven fabric foldable in relation to said second woven fabric; interweaving a plurality of yarns from said second woven fabric with a plurality of yarns from a third woven fabric; cuffing said first woven fabric from a top surface of said second woven fabric; folding together a first portion of said first fabric formed on a first side of an interwoven region of said first and second fabrics with a first portion of said first fabric formed on a second side of the interwoven region of said first and second fabrics to form a stiffener in a first direction; folding a second portion of said first fabric to form a reinforcing member for a stiffener formed in a second direction; folding a first portion of said second and said third woven fabrics to form a stiffener in a second direction; and folding a second portion of said third foldable fabric to complete a panel portion of said preform. 50. The method of claim 49 wherein said preform is woven using a Jacquard loom. 51. The method of claim 49 wherein said preform is woven using a harness loom. 52. The method of claim 49, wherein the woven fabrics are woven with warp and weft yarns or fibers. 53. The method of claim 49 further comprising the steps of; interweaving a plurality of yarns in a plurality of independent regions between said first and said second fabrics; cutting said first woven fabric from a top surface of said second woven fabric in a plurality of regions; folding together a plurality of first portions on a plurality of first sides of a plurality of said interwoven regions of said first and second woven fabrics with a plurality of first portions on a plurality of second sides of a plurality of said interwoven regions of said first and second woven fabrics to from a plurality of stiffeners in a first direction; folding a plurality of second portions of said plurality of stiffeners to form a plurality of reinforcing members for a stiffener formed in a second direction; folding portions of said second and said third woven fabrics relative to said first woven fabric to provide a stiffener in a second direction; and folding a second portion of said third foldable fabric to complete a panel portion of said preform. 54. The method in claim 49 further comprising the steps of; providing a fourth woven fabric; interweaving a plurality of yarns between said third woven fabric and said fourth woven fabric, wherein said plurality of yarns are interwoven over a region between said third fabric and said fourth fabric to allow said fourth woven fabric to be foldable relative to said third woven fabric; cutting said fourth woven fabric to a top surface of said third woven fabric; folding together a first portion on a first side of said interwoven regions of said third and fourth woven fabrics with a first portion on a second side of the interwoven region of said third and fourth woven fabrics to form a stiffener in a first direction; folding a second portion of said stiffener to form a reinforcing member for a stiffener formed in a second direction; folding a first portion of said third woven fabric relative to said second woven fabric to provide a stiffener in a second direction; and folding a second portion of said third foldable fabric to complete a panel portion of said preform. 55. The method in claim 49, wherein a warp fiber pattern is any pattern selected from the group comprising ply-to-ply, orthogonal, and angle interlock. 56. The method in claim 49, wherein the interwoven yarns are warp yarns. 57. The method in claim 49, wherein the interwoven yarns are weft yarns. 58. The method in claim 49, wherein said warp and weft yarns are selected from the group of synthetic or natural materials comprising carbon, nylon, rayon, polyester, fiberglass, cotton, glass, ceramic, aramid, and polyethylene. 59. The method in claim 49, wherein a composite structure is formed from a process selected from the group comprising resin transfer molding and chemical vapor filtration. 60. The method in claim 49, wherein a matrix material is selected from the group comprising epoxy, polyester, vinyl-ester, ceramic, and carbon.