Hexagonal grid
US5367549A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 22, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A hexagonal grid is comprised of castled strips which are (a) bent into a zigzag form, and (b) interleaved with one another so that half-height bridge segments, which extend between and are integral with adjacent full-height castle segments, are placed in edge-to-edge contact so that they align with one another. This forms a grid with no double thickness portions. During fabrication the strips are sandwiched between slotted top and bottom plates. These plates are formed with access openings at sites where three segments intersect and through which welding is carried out. Relatively long spring features are only formed in full-height castle segments. The absence of these features in the half-height bridge segments allows the overall height of the grid to be minimized.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.