U.S. patent application number 16/068744 was filed with the patent office on 2019-01-31 for method for stiffening plates intended for the creation of ship walls and comprising laminated composite materials, and resulting plate.
The applicant listed for this patent is IXBLUE. Invention is credited to Sebastien GRALL, Pierre LALLEMAND.
Application Number | 20190031292 16/068744 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55752488 |
Filed Date | 2019-01-31 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190031292 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GRALL; Sebastien ; et
al. |
January 31, 2019 |
METHOD FOR STIFFENING PLATES INTENDED FOR THE CREATION OF SHIP
WALLS AND COMPRISING LAMINATED COMPOSITE MATERIALS, AND RESULTING
PLATE
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for stiffening plates for ship walls. At
least one elongate profile member of laminated composite material
and having a transverse cross-section of a predetermined shape over
the length thereof is pre-manufactured, the profile member being
rigid. Then, a panel including laminated composite materials at
least on the surface of at least one of the two main surfaces
thereof is used, and the at least one pre-manufactured profile
member is assembled and attached together onto one of the main
surfaces of the panel. The main surface of the panel receives the
profile member including laminated composite material. The profile
member has a transverse cross-section with three continuous
portions: two flanges having substantially straight cross-sections
and interconnected by a web. The flanges and the web in transverse
cross-section are supported by separate planes, the plane of the
web intersecting the two planes, supporting the flanges, at
90.degree..
Inventors: |
GRALL; Sebastien; (Aubagne,
FR) ; LALLEMAND; Pierre; (Belcodene, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
IXBLUE |
Saint-Germain-en-Laye |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
55752488 |
Appl. No.: |
16/068744 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
January 5, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2017/050029 |
371 Date: |
July 9, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 66/712 20130101;
B29C 66/61 20130101; B29C 66/721 20130101; B29C 66/1122 20130101;
B29C 66/532 20130101; B29C 66/131 20130101; B29L 2031/307 20130101;
B63B 3/32 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101; B29C 66/73941 20130101;
B29C 66/7212 20130101; B29C 65/48 20130101; B29C 65/562 20130101;
B29C 66/72141 20130101; B29C 66/73756 20130101; B29D 99/0014
20130101; B63B 5/24 20130101; B29C 66/112 20130101; B63B 2003/265
20130101; B63B 3/34 20130101; B29C 66/524 20130101; B63B 2231/52
20130101; B29C 66/7212 20130101; B29K 2307/04 20130101; B29C
66/7212 20130101; B29K 2309/08 20130101; B29C 66/7212 20130101;
B29K 2277/10 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101; B29K 2063/00 20130101;
B29C 66/71 20130101; B29K 2067/00 20130101; B29C 66/71 20130101;
B29K 2031/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B63B 3/32 20060101
B63B003/32; B63B 5/24 20060101 B63B005/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 8, 2016 |
FR |
1650144 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. Method for stiffening plates (1) intended for the creation of
ship walls and comprising laminated composite materials, the
laminated composite materials being constituted of stacks of layers
of fibres impregnated with resin, wherein, at least one elongate
profile member (3a, 3b, 3c) made of laminated composite material is
pre-manufactured having a transverse cross-section of a
predetermined shape over the length thereof, with the
pre-manufactured profile member (3a, 3b, 3c) and obtained being
rigid due to the polymerization of the resin that impregnated the
layers of fibres that the profile member comprises, and, and
wherein a panel (2) is used having two main surfaces and comprising
at least on the surface of at least one of its two main surfaces a
laminated composite material, with the resin that impregnated the
layers of fibres that the panel comprises being polymerized, and
said at least one pre-manufactured profile member (3a, 3b, 3c) is
assembled and attached together onto one of the main surfaces of
said panel (2), with the main surface of the panel receiving the
profile member comprising laminated composite material, and wherein
the pre-manufactured profile member (3a, 3b, 3c) has a transverse
cross-section of a determined shape that comprises three continuous
portions: two flanges (7, 7') and a web (6), the two flanges (7,
7') and the web (6) being substantially straight in the transverse
cross-section of the profile member, the two flanges (7, 7') being
connected together by the web, the web (6) being connected to the
flanges (7, 7') along its two opposite lateral edges, and wherein
the two flanges (7, 7') and the web (6) are longitudinally extended
over three separate planes, with the plane over which extends the
web (6) crossing the two separate planes over which extend the
flanges (7, 7'), with the two planes over which extend the two
flanges (7, 7') being parallel to each other and crossing the plane
over which the web (6) extends with an angle of about 90.degree.,
each flange (7, 7') having two main surfaces, a main inner surface
on the side of the web (6) and a main outer free surface opposite
the preceding one, one of the two flanges (7, 7') of the
pre-manufactured profile member being applied by its main outer
free surface on the panel.
14. Method according to claim 13, wherein a pre-manufactured
profile member (3b) is used of which the two flanges (7') are of
the same lateral side of the web, the transverse cross-section of
the profile member (3b) being U-shaped.
15. Method according to claim 14, wherein in the U-shaped profile
member at least one portion of the fibre layers is continuously
extended from one flange to the other.
16. Method according to claim 14, wherein a pre-manufactured
profile member (3a) is used of which the two flanges (7) are
astride two lateral edges of the web (6), the transverse
cross-section of the profile member (3a) being H-shaped, the
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member resulting from the reunion
during the manufacture thereof of two U-shaped forms of composite
material arranged web-against-web.
17. Method according to claim 15, wherein a pre-manufactured
profile member (3a) is used of which the two flanges (7) are
astride two lateral edges of the web (6), the transverse
cross-section of the profile member (3a) being H-shaped, the
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member resulting from the reunion
during the manufacture thereof of two U-shaped forms of composite
material arranged web-against-web.
18. Method according to claim 14, wherein a pre-manufactured
profile member (3a) is used that is tubular, the pre-manufactured
tubular profile member resulting from the reunion during the
manufacture thereof of two U-shaped forms of composite material
arranged lateral end of flange against lateral end of flange.
19. Method according to claim 15, wherein a pre-manufactured
profile member (3a) is used that is tubular, the pre-manufactured
tubular profile member resulting from the reunion during the
manufacture thereof of two U-shaped forms of composite material
arranged lateral end of flange against lateral end of flange.
20. Method according to claim 16, wherein, furthermore, during the
pre-manufacturing of the H-shaped or tubular profile member, a
complementary layer (10) is added of complementary fibre layers on
the main outer free surface of at least the flange that is not
intended to be applied on the panel.
21. Method according to claim 17, wherein, furthermore, during the
pre-manufacturing of the H-shaped or tubular profile member, a
complementary layer (10) is added of complementary fibre layers on
the main outer free surface of at least the flange that is not
intended to be applied on the panel.
22. Method according to claim 18, wherein, furthermore, during the
pre-manufacturing of the H-shaped or tubular profile member, a
complementary layer (10) is added of complementary fibre layers on
the main outer free surface of at least the flange that is not
intended to be applied on the panel.
23. Method according to claim 19, wherein, furthermore, during the
pre-manufacturing of the H-shaped or tubular profile member, a
complementary layer (10) is added of complementary fibre layers on
the main outer free surface of at least the flange that is not
intended to be applied on the panel.
24. Method according to claim 13, wherein, alternatively, a
pre-manufactured profile member (3c) is used of which the traverse
cross-section is T-shaped with a single flange (7) astride one of
the two lateral edges of the web (6) and wherein during the
assembly and the fastening to the panel of the pre-manufactured
profile member, the lateral free edge of the web (6) of the
pre-manufactured profile member is placed on the main surface of
the panel (2) and the second flange, on the panel (2) side, is
created, by lamination (3d) of additional layers of fibres extended
between the web (6) and the panel (2) as well as resin (5), this
for the two lateral sides of the web (6), in order to obtain a
fixed H-shaped profile member with a transverse cross-section.
25. Method according to claim 13, wherein the pre-manufactured
profile members (3a, 3b, 3c) are fixed to the panels (2) by at
least one of the following techniques: gluing (4, 5) or mechanical
clamping, the gluing being carried out with or without adding
additional layers of fibres, the mechanical clamping being chosen
from screwing, bolting, riveting, the gluing being in particular a
vacuum gluing.
26. Method according to claim 13, wherein, for at least one of the
two flanges (7, 7'), the main inner surface of the flange comprises
towards it free end, in the case of a U-shaped profile member (3b),
or at least one of its two free ends, in the case of an H-shaped or
T-shaped profile member (3a, 3c), a return (8) intended to form a
chute (9) delimited laterally by the web (6) and the return (8) and
delimited at the bottom by the main inner surface of the flange (7,
7').
27. Method according to claim 13, wherein layers of oriented fibres
are used and between them are crossed the various layers of
fibres.
28. Reinforced plate (1) for a ship wall comprising laminated
composite materials, wherein it is specifically obtained through
the method of claim 13.
29. Reinforced plate (1) for a ship wall comprising laminated
composite materials, wherein it is specifically obtained through
the method of claim 16.
30. Reinforced plate (1) for a ship wall comprising laminated
composite materials, wherein it is specifically obtained through
the method of claim 20.
31. Reinforced plate (1) for a ship wall comprising laminated
composite materials, wherein it is specifically obtained through
the method of claim 24.
32. Ship comprising at least one reinforced plate according to
claim 30, said ship being a surface craft or a semi-submersible or
submersible craft.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION RELATES
[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of ship
construction. It relates more particularly to a method for
manufacturing plates reinforced/stiffened by stiffening elements
comprising laminated composite materials as well as the plate
obtained by the method. The reinforced plates are intended for the
creation of ship walls. More specifically, the invention relates to
a method for stiffening plates intended for the creation of ship
walls and comprising laminated composite materials.
TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
[0002] In ships, flat regions must be reinforced or
rigidified/stiffened, with these terms considered to be equivalents
in the context of the invention, in order to resist the stresses
that the ship is subjected to. This also relates to inside
partitions which are more preferably manufactured with relatively
light materials, in particular composite materials, in order to
reduce the weight of the ship. Among the latter, the inside
separating partitions, in particular those comprised of separating
plates between two levels of the ship (typically the floors and
decks), must more particularly be reinforced due to the fact that
they are substantially horizontal and the loads and stresses that
they are subjected to and which are primarily applied according to
a perpendicular to the surface of the panel forming the plate.
[0003] As such, in the case of reinforcing floors and decks of
ships, one is led to create stiffening elements on the lower
surface of the panel of the plate. Conventionally, for this,
manufacturing is carried out on-site, directly on the panel itself,
of a network of stiffeners comprising forms in foam or wood that
are covered with one or several layers of composite fibre/resin.
These layers create an over-thickness on the panel to be stiffened,
on either side of the base of the form made of foam or wood. This
"over-measure" method is relatively long and tedious since it
requires beforehand installing forms on the panel then, afterwards,
covering them with composite. Furthermore, this method leads to
leaving in the plate foreign material in terms of the composite
comprised of layers of fibres and of resin.
[0004] In the field of aviation, means are known for reinforcing
partitions in documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,343, US-2012/282441 and
US-2007/277470.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of
prior art, this invention proposes to use as stiffening elements
pre-manufactured profile members and separately from the panel to
be reinforced, profile members which are made from a laminated
composite material and which are then added and fastened onto the
panel itself, with the panel being made from a laminated composite
material or containing it on the surface. These pre-manufactured
profile members are rigid when they are assembled to the panel.
Thanks to this method, one is no longer constrained to use
composite in the conventional "wet" manner in order to create the
reinforced plate comprised of the panel and of its stiffening
element or elements. Furthermore, the creation of the reinforced
plate is greatly accelerated. The same applies for manufacturing
beforehand (=pre-manufacturing) profile members that can be
standardized given in that in most cases, the panels are flat and
the arrangement of the stiffening elements is predictable and
regular. Finally, the reinforced plate created no longer includes
the "foreign" materials that were used in the conventional method
described hereinabove and which do not participate in the
mechanical resistance of the whole. It is therefore possible to
create reinforced plates made of composite material exclusively
comprised of stacks of layers of fibres impregnated with resin and
therefore without any "foreign" material which would be there only
for giving a shape to the stiffener.
[0006] As such, the invention relates to a method for stiffening
plates intended for the creation of ship walls and comprising
laminated composite materials, the laminated composite materials
being constituted of stacks of layers of fibres impregnated with
resin.
[0007] According to said method:
[0008] on the one hand, at least one elongate profile member made
from laminated composite material is pre-manufactured having a
transverse cross-section of a predetermined shape over the length
thereof, the pre-manufactured profile member and obtained being
rigid due to the polymerization/solidification of the resin that
has impregnated the layers of fibres that the profile member
comprises, and,
[0009] on the other hand, a panel is used having two main surfaces
and comprising at least on the surface of at least one of its two
main surfaces a laminated composite material, with the resin that
has impregnated the layers of fibres that the panel contains being
polymerized/solidified, and
[0010] said at least one pre-manufactured profile member is
assembled and fixed together on one of the main surfaces of said
panel, with the main surface of the panel receiving the profile
member comprising laminated composite material, and the
pre-manufactured profile member has a transverse cross-section of a
determined shape that comprises three continuous portions: two
flanges and a web, with the two flanges and the web being
substantially straight in the transverse cross-section of the
profile member, the web connecting to the flanges along its two
opposite lateral edges, and the two flanges and the web are
longitudinally extended over three separate planes, with the plane
over which extends the web crossing the two separate planes over
which extend the flanges, with the two planes over which extend the
two flanges being parallel to each other and crossing the plane
over which the web extends with an angle of about 90.degree., each
flange having two main surfaces, a main inner surface on the side
of the web and a main outer free surface opposite the preceding
one, one of the two flanges of the pre-manufactured profile member
being applied by its main outer free surface on the panel.
[0011] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the
method in accordance with the invention, taken individually or
according to any technically permissible combinations, are as
follows: [0012] a pre-manufactured profile member is used of which
the two flanges are on the same lateral side of the web, the
transverse cross-section of the profile member being U-shaped,
[0013] alternatively, in the case of the U-shaped pre-manufactured
profile member, U-shaped profile member of which the two flanges
are of the same lateral side of the web, said pre-manufactured
profile member is applied and fixed on the panel via its web, by
the side opposite the flanges of the web, [0014] a pre-manufactured
profile member is used of which the two flanges are on the lateral
sides opposite the web, the transverse cross-section of the profile
member being Z-shaped, [0015] in the U-shaped or Z-shaped profile
member at least one portion of the fibre layers is continuously
extended from one flange to the other, [0016] in the U-shaped or
Z-shaped profile member, all the layers of fibres are continuously
extended from one flange to the other, [0017] in the case of layers
of oriented fibres, between them are crossed the various layers of
fibres, [0018] a pre-manufactured profile member is used of which
the two flanges are astride the two lateral edges of the web, the
transverse cross-section of the profile member being H-shaped,
[0019] the pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member result from the
reunion during the pre-manufacturing thereof of two U-shaped forms
of composite material arranged web-against-web, [0020] a
pre-manufactured profile member that is tubular is used, the
pre-manufactured tubular profile member resulting from the reunion
during the manufacture thereof of two U-shaped forms of composite
material arranged lateral end of flange against lateral end of
flange, [0021] for the pre-manufactured tubular profile member, the
two U-shaped forms made of composite material are two
pre-manufactured U-shaped profile members and therefore rigid and
that are fastened together, [0022] a pre-manufactured profile
member that is tubular is used, the pre-manufactured tubular
profile member resulting from the reunion during the manufacture
thereof of two H-shaped forms made of composite material arranged
lateral end of flange against lateral end of flange, [0023] for the
pre-manufactured tubular profile member, the two H-shaped forms
made of composite material are two pre-manufactured H-shaped
profile members and therefore rigid and that are fastened together,
[0024] furthermore, during the pre-manufacturing of the H-shaped or
tubular profile member, a complementary layer of complementary
fibre layers is added on the main outer free surface of at least
the flange that is not intended to be applied on the panel, [0025]
at least one portion of the complementary fibre layers continuously
extend furthermore over the main inner surface of the flange of the
H-shaped profile member, on the two sides of the web, with the
layers being folded around the flange, [0026] at least one portion
of the complementary fibre layers furthermore continuously extends
over the main inner surface of the flange of the H-shaped profile
member by continuing over the two sides of the web, with the webs
being folded around the flange and continuing over the web, [0027]
complementary layers of complementary fibre layers are added onto
two free outer main surfaces of the two flanges of the H-shaped
profile member during the pre-manufacturing thereof, [0028]
alternatively, a pre-manufactured profile member is used of which
the traverse cross-section has a T-shape with a single flange
astride one of the two lateral edges of the web and during the
assembly and the fastening to the panel of the pre-manufactured
profile member, the lateral free edge (i.e. the one that does not
comprise any flange) of the web of the pre-manufactured profile
member is placed on the main surface of the panel and the second
flange, on the panel side, is created by lamination of additional
layers of fibres extended between the web and the panel as well as
resin, this for the two lateral sides of the web, in order to
obtain a fixed H-shaped profile member with a transverse
cross-section, [0029] alternatively, a pre-manufactured profile
member is used of which the traverse cross-section has an L-shape
with a single flange lateral to the web and during the assembly and
the fastening of the profile member to the panel, the lateral free
edge (i.e. the one that does not comprise a flange) of the web of
the pre-manufactured profile member is placed on the main surface
of the panel and the second flange, on the panel side, is created
by lamination of an additional composite material extended between
the web and the panel as well as resin, this for one or both
lateral sides of the web, [0030] alternatively, a panel is used of
which the resin of at least the main surface of the panel receiving
the profile member is not yet polymerized and for fastening said at
least one pre-manufactured profile member is assembled on said main
surface with a resin that is not yet polymerized, [0031] panels are
created of which stacks of layers of fibres on the surface comprise
regions without resin or with a non-polymerized resin, said regions
intended to receive the pre-manufactured profile member, [0032] the
pre-manufactured profile members are straight, [0033]
alternatively, the pre-manufactured profile members are twisted,
[0034] alternatively, the pre-manufactured profile members are
circumvented in their length, [0035] alternatively, the
pre-manufactured profile members are twisted along their main
axis/their length, [0036] the plates are flat, [0037]
alternatively, the plaques are circumvented, [0038] the panels are
substantially flat and the pre-manufactured profile members are
longitudinally straight, [0039] the plates are intended for inside
partitions of ships or for partitions with interfaces between the
outside and the inside of ships, [0040] the plates are intended for
separating partitions between two levels of the ship, [0041] the
plates of the separation partitions between two levels of the ship
are substantially horizontal, [0042] the plates are intended for
separating partitions between two regions of the same level of the
ship, [0043] the plates of separating partitions between two
regions of the same level of the ship are substantially vertical,
[0044] the plates are intended for communication partitions
extended between two levels of the ship and, in particular, form an
access stairwell from one level to the next, [0045] the
pre-manufactured profile members are fixed to the panels by at
least one of the following techniques: gluing or mechanical
clamping, the gluing being carried out with or without adding
additional layers of fibres, the mechanical clamping being chosen
from screwing, bolting, riveting, the gluing being in particular a
vacuum gluing, [0046] the additional layers of fibres are extended
between the profile member and the panel, [0047] the composite
material comprises glass fibres and/or carbon and/or polymers
and/or any other type of reinforcing fibre used in the field of
composites, made integral by a resin, [0048] the composite material
comprises all types of reinforcing fibres, in particular glass,
aramid, carbon or the equivalent and all types of matrix, in
particular polyester, epoxy, vinylester or the equivalent,
optionally combined according to the compatibilities thereof,
[0049] the composite material and its resin are identical for the
pre-manufactured profile members and the panels, [0050] the
composite material and optionally its resin are different for the
pre-manufactured profile members and the panels, [0051]
through-openings are created in the thickness of the web of the
profile member during the pre-manufacturing thereof, [0052] for at
least one of the two flanges, the main inner surface of the flange
comprises towards it free end, in the case of a U-shaped profile
member, or at least one of its two free ends, in the case of an
H-shaped or T-shaped profile member, a return intended to form a
chute delimited laterally by the web and the return and delimited
at the bottom by the main inner surface of the flange, [0053] the
U-shaped profile member comprises one or two returns in order to
respectively form one or two chutes, [0054] the H-shaped profile
member comprises one to four returns in order to respectively form
between one and four chutes, [0055] the chute or chutes are
primarily used for ceilings and, preferably, those that have their
bottom (corresponding to the main inner surface of the
corresponding flange) towards the bottom, for the other
arrangements of use, means for retaining cables or ducts being used
to retain the latter in the chutes.
[0056] The invention also proposes a reinforced plate for a ship
wall comprising laminated composite materials and specifically
obtained by the method described. The reinforced plate therefore
results from the method of stiffening plates and it is comprised of
at least one pre-manufactured profile member fixed on a panel.
[0057] The invention also proposes a ship comprising at least one
reinforced plate according to the invention, said ship being a
surface craft or a semi-submersible or submersible craft.
[0058] Among the advantages of the invention, it makes it possible
to respond to the specificities of this type of vehicle/ship: high
resistance to fatigue and to cyclical stresses, as well as to
corrosion in wet environments, and a low radar echo. This type of
structure does not require any specific maintenance, contrary to
the structures used in aeronautics, primarily comprised of carbon
epoxy composite.
[0059] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the
reinforced plate, can be taken individually or according to all
technically permissible combinations using the means described in
this application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
[0060] The following description with respect to the accompanying
drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will indeed facilitate
the understanding of what the inventions consists of and how it can
be carried out.
[0061] In the accompany drawings:
[0062] FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-section view of a
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member, made of composite, and
which has been assembled and fixed onto a composite panel,
[0063] FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-section view of a
pre-manufactured U-shaped profile member, made of composite, and
which has been assembled and fixed onto a composite panel,
[0064] FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-section view of an H-shaped
stiffener created from a T-shaped pre-manufactured profile member,
made of composite, and which has been assembled and fixed onto a
composite panel with over laminating on the side of the panel,
and
[0065] FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section view of a
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member, made of composite, and
which has been assembled and fixed onto a composite panel, said
pre-manufactured profile member having two chutes due to the
presence of two returns at the two free lateral ends of
flanges.
[0066] In relation with FIGS. 1 to 4 which are
transverse/cross-section views, a reinforced/rigidified plate shall
be described obtained by using pre-manufactured profile members of
the invention. In these figures, a floor or a deck or a partition
was created and it will be returned when it is installed in the
structure of the ship, this explaining that the profile members are
shown from the top, a position that facilitates the creating of the
plate in question. Once this plate is in place in the structure of
the ship, the profile members will be downwards, at the ceiling. In
an alternative with a double plate, a second panel can be fixed on
the flange represented as free, the one at the top, in these
figures, with the double plate as such being comprised of two
panels that are parallel to each other and connected by the
pre-manufactured profile members.
[0067] The stiffening elements which are, in the scope of the
invention, pre-manufactured profile members made of composite
material, are arranged for example in strips or alignments that are
parallel or not on the panel and according to a periodicity that
depends on the desired resistance for the plate. These strips or
alignments that are periodic or not can also be crossed between
them.
[0068] Generally, the profile members are elongate elements that
have a transverse cross-section of a determined shape comprising
three continuous portions: two flat flanges in a straight profile
member, straight if the section of the profile member is
considered, and connected together by a flat web in a straight
profile member, straight if the section of the profile member is
considered. The flanges and the web when they are viewed as a
transverse cross-section of the profile member are carried by
separate axes, with the axis carrying the web crossing the two axes
carrying the flanges typically at 90.degree. and the two axes
carrying the flanges are parallel to one another.
[0069] In FIG. 1, the plate 1 comprises a panel 2 made of laminated
composite material whereon in fixed a pre-manufactured profile
member 3a with a transverse cross-section in the shape of an H made
of laminated composite material. The panel 2 is substantially flat
and the profile member 3a is a straight elongate element. The
pre-manufactured profile member 3a comprises, seen as a transverse
cross-section, two straight opposite flanges 7 and separated by a
straight web 6, with the flanges being perpendicular to the web and
being astride on the two opposite lateral edges (top and bottom in
the figures with a transverse/cross-section) of the web. The
flanges in this straight profile member are flat over their length
and are carried by two planes that are parallel to one another. The
web is flat over its length and is carried by a median plane that
crosses the two planes carrying the flanges at 90.degree.. The
pre-manufactured profile member which is installed on the panel 2
is structurally rigid. This pre-manufactured profile member 3a is
obtained by stacking layers (or fabrics) of fibres which are
finally taken in the resin. The layers (or fabrics) of fibres are
continuous from one flange to the other by passing through the web.
Typically, this is a composite made of oriented glass fibres and
resin and the layers (or fabrics) of fibres are crossed between
them at +/-45.degree. in the stack of the layers. Furthermore,
during the pre-manufacturing of the profile member, on the free
surface of the flange which is the main outer surface of the flange
(=surface of the flange on the side opposite the web), is
furthermore disposed a complementary layer 10 of complementary
layers (or fabrics) of fibres, with the whole also being taken by
the resin. This complementary layer 10 can concern the free flange
(the one that is not fixed to the panel) as shown in the figures or
the other flange (not shown) or the two flanges of the profile
member (not shown). Preferably, the orientation of the
complementary layers of fibres of this additional layer 10 is
0.degree., i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the profile
member. It shall be seen, in a particular embodiment, this
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member can result from a joining
of two U-shaped forms of composite material. In another embodiment,
this H-shaped profile member is manufactured in a single
operation.
[0070] The flange 7, on the panel side 2, is fastened to the latter
via structural gluing 4. As an alternative or a complement, a
fastening via over-laminating and therefore with the adding of
layers of fibres and resin, is possible. The gluing and/or the
bonding with resin of the pre-manufactured profile members on the
plate can use all the known techniques, in particular with regards
to the adding of resin and/or of adhesive, with these elements
being identical or not: the gluing of the pre-manufactured profile
member that can be done with a compound corresponding to the resin
used for creating the composite or another specific compound for
gluing. For the taking of the resin and of the glue the same
technique (for example heating, radiation, hardener/catalyst) can
be used or a different technique. The profile members can, for
example, be created via infusion, contact, "pre-preg" where the
layers of fibres used are pre-impregnated with resin or,
"pultrusion" of extrusion-drawing of the layers of fibres.
[0071] In FIG. 2, the plate 1 comprises a panel 2 made of composite
material whereon is fixed a pre-manufactured profile member 3b with
a transverse cross-section in the shape of a U. In relation to the
pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member of the preceding figure,
the flanges 7' are arranged laterally to a single and same lateral
side of the web 6 but always towards the lateral edges (top bottom
in figure) of the web. In an alternative not shown, the flanges can
be on the lateral opposite sides, still without overlapping, of the
web, with the transverse cross-section shape of the profile member
then being closer to a Z than a U. In another alternative, one of
the two flanges can be overlapping while the other is not. As
hereinabove the layers of fibres are shown continuously extended
between the two flanges by passing through the web and a
complementary layer 10 is created on the free flange.
[0072] As an alternative embodiment, on the plate 1 of FIG. 3,
there is indeed a stiffening element with transverse cross-section
in the shape of an H but it was obtained from a T-shaped
pre-manufactured profile member 3c. For this, during the assembly
and the fastening on the panel of the T-shaped pre-manufactured
profile member 3c, the T-shaped pre-manufactured profile member T
3c was arranged against the panel 2 by the free lateral end
(without flange, the one at the bottom in the figure) of its web 6
and layers of fibres 3d were extended on each side between the web
and the panel, with the whole then being taken in the resin in
order to ensure a structural gluing 5 of the T-shaped profile
member 3c on the panel 2. With respect to the preceding examples,
this solution requires an additional step of placing additional
layers of fibres and of bonding with resin/gluing these additional
layers, with the preceding examples requiring only a bonding with
resin/gluing of the pre-manufactured profile member 3a, 3b on the
panel 2. The layers of fibres are continuously extended between the
flange and the web and a complementary layer 10 is created on the
free flange. In less effective alternatives, it is possible to
create an L-shaped pre-manufactured profile member with transverse
cross-section therefore of which the flange is no longer astride on
the lateral edge of the web and/or an additional placing of layers
of fibres 3d only on a single side of the web of the T-shaped or
L-shaped profile member.
[0073] In FIG. 4, a reinforced plate 1 of that of the type of FIG.
1 is considered but the pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member 3a
that was used comprises this time chutes 9 obtained by creating
returns 8 on the lateral ends of the free flange 7. These returns
are oriented on the side of the web and are substantially parallel
to the latter. These chutes can be used as a passage for cables or
pipes. In an alternative as a complement or independently of the
return 8, a metal chute or a metal strip is incorporated or
glued/taken on the surface of the flange and possibly of the web
and/or, optionally as a return, during the pre-manufacturing of the
profile member, in the case where a relative shielding or a
continuous ground/mass protection would be required.
[0074] Finally, in certain embodiments, through-openings can be
pre-manufactured in the web in order to allow for the passage of
ducts or cables through the web of the profile member.
[0075] A preferred embodiment of the pre-manufacturing of profile
members of the invention shall now be described.
[0076] The base shape for the manufacturing of profile members is
the U-shaped traverse cross-section, with the two flanges of the
same lateral side of the web, with these three portions being
substantially perpendicular between them. This U-shaped profile
member is created via stacking of layers of fibres, more preferably
of orientations crossed between them for the oriented layers. The
layers are also continuous from one flange to the other for most of
the layers or, better, all the layers. Once the resin soaking the
fibres of the layers is polymerized/solidified, the
pre-manufactured U-shaped profile member and which is rigid is
obtained.
[0077] Preferably, the H-shaped pre-manufactured profile member
with two flanges is obtained from the preceding U-shape form by
joining/fastening web-against-web of two U-shaped profile members.
For this it is possible, either to use two pre-manufactured
U-shaped profile members and therefore rigid and joining and
fastening together which makes it possible to obtain the H-shaped
profile in two steps, or creation via stacking of layers of fibres
with two U-shaped forms joined web-against-web and of which the
resin is then polymerized, which makes it possible to directly
obtain the rigid H-shaped profile member, in a single step. Given
this embodiment wherein the layers of fibres are wholly separated
into two sets belonging to the two lateral portions (each one as a
U) of the H-shaped profile member, complementary extended layers of
fibres are added between these two lateral portions and therefore
extended at least on the main free outer surface of the flange.
These complementary layers being of course also taken in the resin
in order to form the pre-manufactured H-shaped profile member.
[0078] Alternatively, two U-shaped pre-manufactured profile
members, instead of being joined web-against-web in order to form
an H-shaped profile member, can be joined by the lateral ends of
their respective flanges in order to form a tubular profile member
with a substantially square or rectangular section according to the
initial shapes of the U-shaped profile member, with complementary
layers of layers of fibres being preferably created on these joined
flanges in order to reinforce the fastening of the two U-shaped
profile members.
[0079] Equivalently, a T-shaped or Z-shaped profile member can be
manufactured from two joined L-shaped profile members and an
H-shaped profile member can be manufactured from four joined
L-shaped profile members. Other combinations are possible, for
example to manufacture an H-shaped profile member it is possible to
take a Z-shaped profile member and two L-shaped profile members.
However, it is preferably chosen the embodiment that makes it
possible to obtain the pre-manufactured profile member which is the
more resistant in the application under consideration and this is
in particular the case with H-shaped profile members obtained from
two U-shaped profile members and with complementary layers of
fibres on the flanges.
[0080] It is understood that the invention can be broken down in
many other ways in the framework of the claims of this application.
It is possible for example to create pre-manufactured T-shaped or
L-shaped profile members with a single flange and it is fixed to
the panel via this flange. Likewise, certain configurations of
profile members, in particular U or L-shaped, allow for a fastening
of the pre-manufactured profile member via application of the web
on the panel instead of using the flange. For example, it is
possible to pre-manufacture connecting profile members with an X or
T or V shape as seen from above or from below or according to other
shapes that correspond to a crossing or a connection between
stiffening elements arranged according to longitudinal orientations
that lead them to cross each other. As such, at the foreseen
location of the crossing the pre-manufactured connection in the
shape of an X will be arranged and its arms/branches will be
extended by the pre-manufactured linear profile members described.
Preferably, the transverse cross-sections of the arms of the
pre-manufactured connection and of the pre-manufactured profile
members that pursue them will be identical, for example all in
H.
[0081] Moreover, particular shapes of the longitudinal ends of the
profile members and/or connections can be provided, these forms
being complementary between two ends of two profile members placed
end-to-end, for example via partial overlapping or nest of ends.
These shapes can, in particular, make it possible to provide a
certain maintaining between the two profile members. Alternatively,
or as a complement, pre-manufactured composite splice bar
connectors can be fastened to the two longitudinal ends placed
end-to-end of two profile members. Alternatively, pre-manufactured
splice bars of a suitable shape, in particular an L, can be created
for the perpendicular fastening between a longitudinal end of a
first profile member and a full field, laterally, of a second
profile member. In certain alternatives, one or several splice bars
can be fastened or created at the origin on the pre-manufactured
profile member.
[0082] By way of example of a pre-manufactured combination of
connection or crossing and of complementary longitudinal ends, a
crossing or a connection is created of which the longitudinal ends
of arms are hollow and wherein the longitudinal ends of the profile
members are nested are inserted.
[0083] Finally, although examples of applications with flat panels
have been given, the invention can perfectly be applied to panels
with a curved shape, the pre-manufactured profile members then
being created curved with a shape complementary to that of the
panel.
* * * * *