U.S. patent application number 13/196242 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-24 for foamed plastic sheet.
Invention is credited to Lukas Berger, Dietmar Rakutt.
Application Number | 20110287248 13/196242 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31198011 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110287248 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rakutt; Dietmar ; et
al. |
November 24, 2011 |
FOAMED PLASTIC SHEET
Abstract
An unmixed plastic sheet, which is made of a thermoplastic
material and which is composed of a number of body segments that
are adjacent to one another in a plane, interconnected and made of
a closed-cell foam material. The body segments are
thermoplastically welded to one another at their abutting lateral
faces while forming flat weld seams. The flat weld seams form a
plastic intermediate layer, which has few pores, and which is
provided in the form of a web structure that, when viewed from
above, is reticular and reinforces the plastic sheet. The inventive
plastic sheet is preferably used as a core layer in sandwich
composites.
Inventors: |
Rakutt; Dietmar; (Cham,
CH) ; Berger; Lukas; (Luzern, CH) |
Family ID: |
31198011 |
Appl. No.: |
13/196242 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11971930 |
Jan 10, 2008 |
7988805 |
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13196242 |
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10524987 |
Feb 21, 2006 |
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PCT/EP2003/009090 |
Aug 16, 2003 |
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11971930 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/319.3 ;
156/78; 416/241R |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 66/71 20130101;
Y10T 428/18 20150115; Y10T 428/249991 20150401; B29C 66/71
20130101; B29C 65/18 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101; B32B 2325/00
20130101; B29C 2793/009 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101; B29K 2067/00
20130101; B29L 2009/00 20130101; B32B 3/12 20130101; B29C 66/71
20130101; B32B 2367/00 20130101; B29C 65/14 20130101; B32B 3/18
20130101; B29K 2105/046 20130101; Y10T 428/183 20150115; B29C
66/73921 20130101; Y10T 428/249982 20150401; B29C 66/71 20130101;
B29C 66/71 20130101; B29C 66/727 20130101; B29C 2035/0822 20130101;
B29C 66/71 20130101; B32B 2398/20 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101;
B29K 2027/06 20130101; B32B 2323/04 20130101; B29K 2071/12
20130101; B29K 2025/08 20130101; B29K 2023/12 20130101; B29K
2055/02 20130101; B29K 2025/06 20130101; B29K 2023/06 20130101;
B29K 2067/003 20130101; B29K 2069/00 20130101; B32B 2327/06
20130101; B29C 65/02 20130101; B29C 44/5654 20130101; Y10T 156/1062
20150115; B29C 66/71 20130101; B29C 65/1412 20130101; B29C 66/7254
20130101; B32B 2355/02 20130101; B32B 2369/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
428/319.3 ;
416/241.R; 156/78 |
International
Class: |
B32B 27/08 20060101
B32B027/08; B32B 37/16 20060101 B32B037/16; F03D 11/00 20060101
F03D011/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 29, 2002 |
EP |
02405739.0 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. Planar structural element (10) suitable for core layers of
sandwich composite elements, containing a plurality of body
segments (11) connected to one another and arranged next to one
another in a plane, the body segments (11) being made of a foamed
thermoplastic plastics material, wherein the structural element
(10) is completely made of plastics material and the body segments
(11) are welded to one another at abutting side faces to define
flat weld seams (12, 13) intersecting in a plan view of the planar
structural element (10), the flat weld seams (12, 13) forming a
low-pore or pore-free intermediate plastics material layer made of
molten plastics material of the body segments in the form of a web
structure acting in a reinforcing manner and being net-like in the
plan view of the planar structural element (10), and wherein the
planar structural element (10) consists of a polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) or a styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN).
22. Planar structural element according to claim 21, wherein the
body segments consist of a closed-cell foam.
23. Planar structural element according to claim 21, wherein the
body segments (11) are pre-cut parts made of rod-shaped or
pillar-shaped foam bodies (7).
24. Planar structural element according to claim 23, wherein the
rod-shaped or pillar-shaped foam bodies (7) are produced by means
of extrusion, and the extrusion direction in the body segments (11)
which are produced from the foam bodies (7) is parallel or
substantially parallel to the intersection line of two intersecting
weld seam faces (12, 13).
25. Planar structural element according to claim 24, wherein the
body segments (11) have a drawing of the polymer structure oriented
in the extrusion direction.
26. Planar structural element according to claim 21, wherein the
body segments (11) are joined together without gaps, and the body
segments (11) have a cross section of a shape which allows the body
segments to be joined together without gaps.
27. Planar structural element according to claim 21, wherein the
body segments (11), in the plan view of the planar structural
element (10), have a polygonal shape and preferably an octagonal,
hexagonal, quadrangular or triangular shape.
28. Planar structural element according to claim 21, wherein the
planar structural element (10) is a plastics material panel.
29. Method for producing a planar structural element (10),
containing a plurality of body segments (11) connected to one
another and arranged next to one another in a plane, made of a
foamed, thermoplastic plastics material, wherein the structural
element (10) is completely made of plastics material and the body
segments (11) are welded to one another at abutting side faces to
define flat weld seams (12, 13) intersecting in a plan view of the
planar structural element (10), the flat weld seams (12, 13)
forming a low-pore or pore-free intermediate plastics material
layer made of molten plastics material of the body segments in the
form of a web structure acting in a reinforcing manner and being
net-like in the plan view of the planar structural element (10),
and wherein the planar structural element (10) consists of a
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or styrene/acrylonitrile copolymer
(SAN), comprising the following steps: a. producing closed-cell
rod-shaped or pillar-shaped foam bodies (7) having a long side; b.
welding together the rod-shaped or pillar-shaped foam bodies (7) on
the long side to form a foam block (5) by superficial melting of
the side faces of the body segments to be connected and subsequent
joining thereof and hardening of the melt zones with the formation
of flat weld seams (32, 33) in the form of low-pore or pore-free
intermediate plastics material layers; c. dividing the foam block
(5) into individual planar structural elements (30) transverse to
the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped foam bodies (7),
wherein the flat weld seams (32, 33) intersect in a plan view of
the planar structural element (30) or meet at an angle and form a
net-like web structure, and wherein the structural element (30) is
produced from PET or SAN.
30. Method according to claim 29, wherein the rod-shaped or
pillar-shaped foam bodies (7) are produced by means of an extrusion
process.
31. Method according to claim 30, wherein the rod-shaped or
pillar-shaped foam bodies (7) are produced with a polymer chain
structure drawn in the extrusion direction.
32. Method according to claim 29, wherein means to control the
melting process during welding are provided, which allow the
production of weld seams (12, 13) of a certain thickness range, and
wherein the thickness range is selected in such a way that the
net-like structure of the weld seams (12, 13) increases the
compressive strength of the structural element (10) with respect to
surface pressures.
33. A structural component (1) comprising a planar structural
element (10) according to claim 21, and a cover layer (2) applied
at least on one surface of the planar structural element (10).
34. Structural component (1) according to claim 33, wherein the
structural component (1) is a sandwich composite element and
wherein the planar structural element (10) is a core layer in the
structural component (1).
35. Structural component according to claim 34, wherein the
sandwich composite element is a sandwich composite panel, with
cover layers (2, 3) arranged on both sides of the core layer.
36. Vane in a wind power station, comprising the sandwich composite
element (1) of claim 34.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a large area structural element
containing a plurality of body segments arranged adjacent to one
another in a plane, interconnected and made of a closed-cell foamed
plastic, and a process for manufacturing such a large area
structural element and the use thereof.
[0002] It is known to employ a foamed thermoplastic as the core
layer in sandwich-type composites. The production of foamed plastic
panels may be achieved e.g. by an extrusion process. The structural
load-bearing capacity, in particular the compressive strength of
such core layers made using extrusion processes is however limited.
For demanding applications, therefore, sandwich composites with the
above mentioned core layers are often not suitable as structural
components.
[0003] However, for demanding applications such as e.g. structural
components in transportation it is necessary to have sandwich
composites that exhibit a high degree of strength, in particular
compressive strength and stiffness, and core materials that exhibit
high shear strength and stiffness. In order to achieve these
properties, use is made e.g. of stronger and much thicker outer
layers. As a rule this leads to an undesirable increase in the
specific weight of the sandwich composites. Further, the
compressive strength of such sandwich composites can not be
increased in an unlimited manner by use of thicker outer
layers.
[0004] It is therefore desirable not only for the outer layers but
also the core layers to exhibit greater compressive and shear
strength, however, without having to forego the advantage of
smaller thickness of foamed bodies.
[0005] This would enable sandwich composites with improved strength
and stiffness characteristics to be achieved without significant
increase in the specific weight. On the other hand, the use of core
layers with increased stiffness and strength would also permit the
use of thinner outer layers.
[0006] Sandwich composites are therefore known that exhibit
improved strength by use of specific design of the core layer.
[0007] Described in DE 197 15 529 C1 for example is the production
of a sandwich composite with a core layer and outer layers on both
sides thereof, whereby the core layer is made up of horizontally
abutting polygonals e.g. cube-shaped foam segments. In that case
the individual foam segments are covered over with a fibre layer
and fitted together in a device such that the sides of the segments
are in contact with the fibre layer in a strut-lke manner. The
strut-like fibre layers are soaked with an impregnating medium. By
hardening the impregnating medium fibre-composite layers are
produced between the foam segments, thus providing a stiffening and
strengthening effect on the core layer.
[0008] The described manufacturing process is, however, found to be
very complicated and costly. Further, a core layer produced in
accordance with the described process is of a mixed type as the
foam segments, fibre layers and impregnating medium result in at
least three different materials being used.
[0009] The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,060 describes a composite
element with a core layer of mutually adhesively bonded or sealed
cylindrical shaped foam elements with outer layers provided on both
sides of the core layer. The axes of the cylinders of the foam
elements run parallel to the planes of the outer surface
layers.
[0010] The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,427 describes a composite
element with a core layer of mutually adhesively bonded balsa wood
elements. The adhesive bond is flexible and elastic in design with
the result that the core layer is able to bend.
[0011] The object of the present invention is to propose a large
area, in particular sheet-like structural element which is suitable
for core layers in sandwich-type composites, whereby the structural
element should contain a foam with a closed-cell structure. A
further object is a cost favourable process for manu-facturing the
mentioned large area structural element. The large area structural
element should in particular exhibit improved compressive strength
in com-parison with conventional foam panels. The large area
strructural element should also be as unmixed in character as
possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] That objective is achieved by way of the invention in that
the structural element is made wholly of plastic, and the body
segments are welded together at their abutting lateral faces
forming flat weld seams, whereby the flat weld seams form a plastic
intermediate layer which has few pores or is pore-free and which is
provided in the form of a web structure that, when viewed from
above, is reticular and reinforces the plastic sheet.
[0013] The large area structural element is preferably
sheet-shaped. The large area structural element is preferably in
the form of a sheet-type element, in particular a block-shaped
sheet element.
[0014] The large area structural element comprises a thermoplastic,
preferably a poly-styrene (PS),
acrylnitrile/butadiene/styrene-grafted coploymer (ABS).
poly-ethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC),
polycarbonate (PC) and in particular polyethylene-terephthalate
(PET), poly-phenylene-ether (PPE) or poly-blends thereof such as
poly(phenylene-ether)-polystyrene (PPE+PS), or a
styrene/acrylnitrile copolymer (SAN).
[0015] The structural element according to the invention is
preferably unmixed i.e. it is comprised of only one single plastic.
The unmixed character requires in particular that the structural
element contains no other kind of adhesive for joining the body
segments together.
[0016] The specific weight of a structural element according to the
invention is e.g. more than 20 kg/m.sup.3, preferably more than 40
kg/m.sup.3, in particular more than 50 kg/m.sup.3 and e.g. less
than 200 kg/m.sup.3, preferably less than 130 kg/m.sup.3. The pore
size of the foam is e.g. in the range 100 to 1000 .mu.m.
[0017] The weld seams are preferably formed by plastic of the body
segment which is melted then solidified after fitting the segments
together. To that end the body segments exhibit, in particular at
the abutting sides, zones in the form of areas that melt and
re-solidify.
[0018] The thickness of the weld seams or melt zones is chosen such
that the network-like strut structure of the weld seams increases
the compressive strength of structural element with respect to area
pressure. This means that the weld seams represent not only joins
between two body segments, but at the same time stiffening or
reinforcing struts of foam between the body segments. The weld
seams also effect stiffening of the structural element with respect
to shear and bending stresses. The expression of strength or
thickness of the weld seams refers therefore not only to a stable
weld seam but also to effective stiffening or reinforcing of the
structure.
[0019] The thickness of the melt/re-solidified zone at the side
wall faces that constitute the weld seams is selected therefore
such that the structural element exhibits in particular high
compressive strength with respect to surface pressure.
[0020] The body segments are preferably fitted and welded together
in a continuous manner i.e. free of voids. The body segments
therefore preferably exhibit a cross-sectional shape that enables
the segments to be fitted together in rows without gaps.
[0021] In a preferred version of the invention the body segments
exhibit--in a plan view of the structural element--a poloygonal
shape, in particular an eight, six, four or three sided shape. The
body segments may in plan view of the structural element exhibit
e.g. a quadratic, rectangular, hexagonal or triangular outline
which runs around the so called top faces of the body segments.
[0022] The size of the body segments may vary according to the
degree of stiffness or compressive strength desired.
[0023] As each of the above mentioned geometries and sizes of body
segments results in large area structural elements with different
properties, the geometry and size of the body segments are
determined primarily by the specific require-ments placed on the
structural element.
[0024] The body segments are especially preferably in the form of
cubes or blocks. Body segments of block or cube shape may e.g. be
arranged in several rows and columns, whereby the weld joints form
a network-type structure with intersecting longitudinal and
transverse weld seams. The said body segments may also be arranged
in several rows that are offset with respect to each other, whereby
the weld joints form continuous transverse weld seams and offset
longitudinal weld seams creating a pattern like a brick wall.
[0025] Quadratic shaped body segments may e.g. (as viewing the
structural element in plan view) exhibit a quadratic or rectangular
shaped outline with side lengths (x, y) of 20 to 600 mm, preferably
30 to 400 mm, in particular 40 to 100 mm (see also FIG. 1). A
rectangular body segment may e.g. (as viewing the structural
element in plan view) exhibit a length of 100 to 250 mm and a
breadth of 30 to 50 mm.
[0026] The body segments may--viewing the structural element in
plan view--also exhibit a curved outline shape e.g. concave or
convex in whole or in part. The body segments may also be shaped in
a manner of interlocking bricks i.e. the body segments are shaped
such that the individual body segments lock into each other. The
body segments of the structural element according to the invention
are also preferably congruent with respect to each other.
[0027] In sheet-shaped structural elements the side faces of the
body segments are also preferably perpendicular to the outer faces
of the structural element.
[0028] The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a
large area structural element containing a plurality of body
elements of a foamed plastic that are aligned next to each other in
a plane and joined together.
[0029] The process is characterised by way of the following steps:
[0030] a) manufacture of closed-cell rod-shaped or column-shaped
foamed plastic bodies; [0031] b) welding together the long sides of
the rod-shaped or column-shaped foamed bodies into a plastic block
thus creating weld seams over that face, whereby the weld seams are
then present as low-pore or pore-free intermediate plastic layers;
[0032] c) dividing the block of foamed plastic into individual
large area structural elements, in particular foam sheets, running
transverse or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the
rod-shaped foam bodies, whereby the weld seams, as viewed in plan
view of the structural element, form a network like structure of
struts.
[0033] The rod-shaped or column-shaped foam bodies are preferably
manufactured using an extrusion process. The orientation of the
material of the foam bodies or body segments preferably is
preferably stretched in the direction of extrusion. Thereby, in
particular polymer chains exhibit stretching in the direction of
extrusion as a result of the extrusion process. The stretching of
the material effects an improvement in the mechanical properties,
in particular the compressive strength in the direction of
stretching.
[0034] The foam bodies or body segments also preferably exhibit a
cell structure or cell arrangement that is oriented in the
direction of extrusion. The oriented cell structures of the foam
body contribute to an increase in the compressive strength of the
structural element.
[0035] In another version of the invention the rod-shaped or
column-shaped foam bodies may be taken from a prefabricated block
of foam i.e. by cutting or sawing. The said block of foam is
manufactured by means of an extrusion process.
[0036] According to a specific version of the invention the
production of the foam bodies takes place via an extrusion process,
whereby the foam body comprises a plurality of expanded polymer
strands that are brought together. Drawing the strands together
takes place immediately after leaving the extrusion die by
expanding the individual strands. Thereby, neighbouring strands
make contact with each other, grow together or stick together
forming a foam body. The foam body is then in the form of a closed
package of strands.
[0037] The strands lie preferably essentially parallel to each
other and are arranged in the longitudinal or extrusion direction
of the foam body. The manufacturing pro-cess may be arranged such
that the individual strands remain visible in the foam body or are
brought together or melted to give one single structure in which
the individual strands are only slightly or no longer detectable.
The strands are preferably packed together so tightly that the
individual strands come to rest fully in contact with each other
without forming any spaces. The strands may, however, also be
arranged or packed together such that channel-like spaces are
formed between the individual strands.
[0038] The strands are usefully created via an extrusion tool e.g.
die plate, whereby the extrusion tool contains a plurality of
neighbouring openings through which the polymer is extruded in the
form of strands. In cross-section the said openings may be round
e.g. circular or elliptical shaped, or polygonal e.g. rectangular,
quadratic or hexagonal. The openings may also be in the form of
slits. The foamed strands may have a diameter of e.g. 3 to 50 mm,
in particular 4 to 20 mm.
[0039] Situated downstream of the extrusion die there may also be
another shaping tool that specifies the outer contour of the foam
body, in which tool the strands are packed together on emerging
from the extrusion die, so that the foam body takes on the
cross-sectional shape of the shaping tool.
[0040] With the above manufacturing process it is possible to
produce rod-shaped or column-shaped foam bodies which have already
been extruded with the desired cross-sectional shape and size so
that the foam bodies can be cut to length individually or already
in combination with further rod-shaped or column-shaped foam bodies
into body segments or contain large area structural elements
containing body segments.
[0041] Further, using the above manufacturing process it is
possible to produce foam bodies of a cross-sectional size which is
larger the required cross-section of rod-shaped or column-shaped
foam bodies, so that in the subsequent process-ing steps the
extruded foam body is cut into individual rod-shaped or
column-shaped foam bodies, whereby the strands run essentially in
the longitudinal direction of the cut rod-shaped or column-shaped
foam bodies.
[0042] In a preferred version of the foam bodies or body segments
manufactured according to the above described process the
orientation of the individual strands of the body segments lies
essentially perpendicular to the outer faces of the large area
structural element made up of body segments. Thereby, as a result
of the orientation of the strands, the compressive strength is
preferably greater in the longitudinal direction of the strands
i.e. in the direction of extrusion than in the other
directions.
[0043] The foam bodies may be produced using physical or chemical
foaming means. In a preferred version the foam bodies are foamed
physically using CO.sub.2. The introduction of the foaming agent
may take place directly in the extrusion device.
[0044] In a preferred version of the invention the extruded foam
bodies are welded into plastic blocks on their long sides i.e.
along the long sides that come into contact with each other. Large
area, in particular sheet-shaped structural elements are
subsequently cut from these plastic blocks transverse or
perpendicular to the long sides of the foam bodies.
[0045] The cutting of the large area structural elements out of the
plastic blocks may be performed by sawing or using a thermal
cutting process.
[0046] Instead of the above described process steps the foam bodies
may also be already cut into body segments whereby the individual
body segments are subsequently welded together to form large area
structural elements.
[0047] The welding takes place preferably by melting the side faces
of the body segments that are to be joined, followed by fitting
these together and solidifying the molten zones.
[0048] In a preferred version means for controlling the melting
process during welding are employed that allow weld seams of a
specific thickness or thickness range to be produced, whereby the
thickness range is selected such that the web-like strut structure
of weld seams produces a stiffening effect on the plastic
sheet.
[0049] The welding process is usefully one of thermoplastic
welding. The production of the weld joint may take place by means
of radiation welding or contact welding. Plastic welding processes
that can be employed are e.g. welding with heating elements or
infrared welding. The welding process may take place with or
without weld-feed materials.
[0050] Compared to conventional foamed plastic sheets, the large
area structural elements according to the invention exhibit greater
stiffness and in particular greater compressive strength. The
properties are due essentially to the weld seams between the
individual body segments. The weld seams form a network of
strut-like connections like a framework, whereby the weld seams are
in the form of low-pore or pore-free, dense intermediate plastic
layers.
[0051] The framework of strut-like connected weld seams increases
the compressive strength as the struts forming the intermediate
plastic layer are significantly less compressible than the foam
body itself. If, for example, surface pressure is applied to the
structural element according to the invention (e.g. in the case of
a sandwich composite via the outer layers onto the structural
element serving as core layer), then the compressive forces act
mainly on the stiff strut-like structure and not on the foam bodies
themselves.
[0052] The increase in stiffness of the structural element
according to the invention is also a result of the framework-like
nature of the weld seams which lead to an increase in the torsional
and bend strength of the structural element.
[0053] The structural element according to the invention finds
application preferably in composite elements, in particular
composite sheets with at least one outer sheet on one side of the
structural element.
[0054] The structural element according to the invention finds
highly preferable application as core in sandwich composite
elements, in particular sandwich composite elements with outer
layers on both sides of the core layer. The sandwich composite
elements may e.g. comprise a large area structural element
according to the invention with an outer layer on both sides of the
structural element. Further, it is also possible for there to be
several layers on one or both sides of the structural element. If
the structural element according to the invention is employed as a
core layer in a sandwich composite sheet, the structural element is
usefully a sheet element.
[0055] The said layers or outer layers may be joined to each other
and/or to the core layer e.g. by adhesive joining means.
[0056] The outer layers may e.g. be rigid or flexible sheets of
plastic or fibre reinforced plastic such as glass fibre reinforced
plastic. Further, the outer layers may also be sheets of metal, in
particular aluminium or an aluminium alloy. The outer layers are,
in comparison with the core layer, usefully relatively thin
sheets.
[0057] In spite of their low weight, sandwich composite elements
with structural elements according to the invention exhibit a high
degree of stiffness and excellent shear and compressive strength.
Such sandwich structures are therefore suitable especially for
applications which require components which are light in eight but
structurally high load bearing.
[0058] Sandwich-type composite elements with structural elements
according to the invention as core layer may e.g. be employed as
construction elements in the building industry. Examples of such
construction elements are walls, floors, ceilings, doors, dividing
walls or cladding elements.
[0059] Sandwich composite elements with structural elements
according to the invention as core layer also find preferred
application in transportation on land (e.g. road or railway vehicle
manufacture), on water (e.g. ship and boat building, equipment for
water sports) or in the air (e.g. aircraft construction). This may
be e.g. sandwich composite elements according to the invention for
trunk structures, loading platforms, walls, ceilings, floors, lids,
cladding or parts thereof, on or as part of lorries or railway
trucks for goods transport, or walls, ceilings, floors,
intermediate walls, cladding elements, doors, lids or parts hereof,
on vehicles for public transport such as omnibusses, trams, railway
carriages or on ships such as passenger ships, ferries, pleasure
steamers or boots.
[0060] The sandwich composite elements according to the invention
may also find application in sports articles for use on land, water
or air.
[0061] Sandwich composite elements with structural elements as core
layer according to the invention are highly preferred for
application as vanes or rotor-blades for wind powered generating
units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0062] The invention is described in greater detail in the
following by way of example and with reference to the accompanying
drawings. These show in:
[0063] FIG. 1: an explosive view of a sandwich composite with a
structural element according to the invention as core layer;
[0064] FIG. 2: a cross-section through a sandwich composite with a
structural element according to the invention as core layer;
[0065] FIG. 3: plan view of a first version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0066] FIG. 4: plan view of a second version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0067] FIG. 5: plan view of a third version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0068] FIG. 6: plan view of a fourth version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0069] FIG. 7: plan view of a fifth version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0070] FIG. 8: plan view of a sixth version of structural element
according to the invention;
[0071] FIG. 9: perspective view of a plastic block for
manufacturing structural elements according to the invention as
shown in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0072] FIG. 1 shows a sandwich composite element 1 with a core
layer of structural element according to the invention, which is in
the form of a plastic sheet 10 (see also FIG. 3). The plastic sheet
10 is made up of block-shaped body segments 11 which are joined
together at their touching side faces 17 via longitudinal and
transverse weld seams 12, 13 that extend over the said side faces
17. The weld seams 12, 13 form thereby (as seen in plan view) a
network-like, stiff structure of struts. Provided on each side of
the core layer on the outer faces 16 of the body segments 11 is an
outer layer 2, 3. The outer layers 2, 3 may be in the form of
plastic sheets, fibre reinforced sheets (e.g. fibre-glass
reinforced duroplastics or thermoplastics) or metal sheets, in
particular aluminium sheets.
[0073] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a sandwich composite
element 1 as in FIG. 1. The outer layers 2, 3 are joined to the
core layer by means of adhesive bonding.
[0074] FIGS. 3 to 7 show various versions of structural elements
according to the invention in the form of plastic sheets 10, 20,
30, 40, 50, 60 made up of body segments 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, of
different geometrical shapes and arrangement that are arranged
lying next to each other.
[0075] The plastic sheets 10, 20 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 contain
body segments 11, 21 of rectangular cross-section as viewed in plan
view. The body segments 11 as shown in FIG. 3 are arranged in a
plane next to each other in several rows 14 and columns 15, whereby
the weld joints between the body segments 11 form a network-like
structure of intersecting longitudinal and transverse weld seams
12, 13.
[0076] The body segments 21 shown in FIG. 4 are arranged in a plane
next to each other in several rows 24 that are offset with respect
to each other, whereby the weld joints form a structure that has
the appearance of a brick wall with uninterrupted transverse weld
seams 23 and longitudinal weld seams 22 that are offset with
respect to each other.
[0077] The plastic sheets 30, 40 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 contain
body segments 31, 41 of quadratic cross-section as viewing the
sheet in plan view. The body segments 31 shown in FIG. 5 are
arranged next to each other in a plane in several rows 34 and
columns 35, whereby the weld joins form a network-like structure
with intersecting longitudinal and transverse weld seams 32,
33.
[0078] The body segments 41 shown in FIG. 6 are arranged in a plane
next to each other in offset rows 44, whereby the weld joins form
uninterrupted transverse weld seams 43 and longitudinal weld seams
42 that are offset with respect to each other.
[0079] FIG. 7 shows a further version of a plastic sheet 50
having--as viewed in plan view--hexagonal i.e. web-shaped body
segments 51 which are arranged on a plane next to each other and
are welded together forming weld seams 52.
[0080] FIG. 8 shows another version of a plastic sheet 60 according
to the invention having--as viewed in plan view--triangular body
segments 61 which are arranged on a plane next to each other and
are welded together forming weld seams 62.
[0081] FIG. 9 shows a plastic block 5 made up of column-shaped or
rod-shaped foam bodies 7, whereby the foam bodies 7 are
manufactured e.g. by means of extrusion or by dividing a
homogeneous block of foam. The individual foam bodies 7 are,
according to the invention, joined together along their long sides
8 by plastic welding, forming longitudinal and transverse weld
seams 32, 33 respectively.
[0082] By sawing or thermally cutting the plastic block 5 is
divided into individual plastic sheets 30 according to the
invention as shown in FIG. 5, whereby the plastic sheets 30 are
made up of body segments 31 that are arranged next to each other on
a plane.
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