Abstract:
A STRUCTUREAL LIGHT-WEIGHT PANEL OF HIGH STRENGTH, HAVING THERMAL INSULATION PROPERTIES THAT RENDER THE PANEL PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR CRYOGENIC AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURE APPLICATIONS. THE PANEL IS CONSTITUTED BY A COMPOSITE CORE BONDED TO A CARRIER MEMBRANE OR LAMINATED TO FACING SKINS, THE CORE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE LAYER FORMED BY A SERIES OF BALSA BEAMS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION, THE SPACING BETWEEN THE BEAMS BEING FILLED WITH SLABS OF FOAM PLASTIC MATERIAL WHOSE K-FACTOR IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF BALSA, WHEREBY THE OVERALL THERMAL INSULATING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPOSITE CORE ARE EFFECTIVELY EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF A HOMOGENEOUS CORE COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF FOAM PLASTIC MATERIAL, WHEREAS THE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMPOSITE CORE ARE FAR SUPERIOR THERETO.
Abstract:
A tessellated contour core blanket for use in structural laminates, the blanket being constituted by an array of blocks, preferably of end-grain balsa, adhesively secured to an open mesh scrim, the exposed ends of the blocks being sealed to prevent the admission therein of moisture or resin, whereby the blanket may be stored for prolonged periods without blanket warpage, and the blanket may thereafter be laminated to facing skins without printout effects.