Bracket-like structural member

Abstract

An improved bracket-like structural member designed to improve structures where a rigid space frame can fulfill a structural purpose. An exemplary structural member comprises two straight tubes that each comprise a graphite fiber wrapped foam cylinder, and a curved tube that comprises a graphite fiber wrapped foam arc segment whose distal ends abut an end of each straight tube. Graphite fiber cloth overlaps interfaces between the curved tubes and the straight tube. A strut interconnects adjacent ends of the straight tubes. The present invention is readily applicable to more than two elements terminating at a joint.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A structural member comprising: 
 two first tubes that each comprise a graphite fiber wrapped foam cylinder;    a curved tube that comprises a graphite fiber wrapped foam arc segment whose distal ends abut an end of each first tube;    graphite fiber cloth overlapping interfaces between the first tubes and the curved tube; and    a strut interconnecting the first tubes near their adjacent ends.    
     
     
         2 . The structural member recited in  claim 1  wherein the foam arc segment has a cross section that is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the foam cylinder.  
     
     
         3 . The structural member recited in  claim 1  wherein the arc segment is wrapped with more layers of graphite fiber than the first tubes.  
     
     
         4 . The structural member recited in  claim 1  wherein the outside diameter of the graphite fiber wrapped first and curved tubes is substantially identical.  
     
     
         5 . The structural member recited in  claim 1  wherein the strut comprises tightly rolled graphite fiber cloth.  
     
     
         6 . The structural member recited in  claim 1  wherein the strut comprises cloth wrapped around the first tubes and fibers that sew the first tubes and the strut together.  
     
     
         7 . A structural member comprising: 
 two or more first tubes that each comprise a graphite fiber wrapped foam cylinder;    two or more curved tubes that each comprise a graphite fiber wrapped foam arc segment whose distal ends abut an end of a selected pair of the two or more first tubes;    graphite fiber cloth overlapping interfaces between each selected pair of the first tubes and the respective abutting curved tube; and    two or more struts interconnecting each selected pair of first tubes near their adjacent ends.    
     
     
         8 . The structural member recited in  claim 7  wherein the foam arc segment has a cross section that is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the foam cylinder.  
     
     
         9 . The structural member recited in  claim 7  wherein the arc segment is wrapped with more layers of graphite fiber than the first tubes.  
     
     
         10 . The structural member recited in  claim 7  wherein the outside diameter of the graphite fiber wrapped first and curved tubes is substantially identical.  
     
     
         11 . The structural member recited in  claim 7  wherein each of the two or more struts comprise tightly rolled graphite fiber cloth.  
     
     
         12 . The structural member recited in  claim 7  wherein each of the two or more struts comprise cloth wrapped around the selected pair of first tubes and fibers that sew the selected pair of first tubes and respective ones of the two or more struts together.