Multi-beam panel structures

Abstract

A fabricated panel structure such as a boat hull includes a plurality of elongate flexible cores 10 of a low strength foam material which are each individually covered by a respective strip 20 of fibrous material wrapped around each core in a spiral fashion. The covered members are arranged side-by-side sandwiched between inner and outer layers 24 and 26 of fibre-reinforced plastics material which are bonded to the cores.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A fabricated sandwich structure which includes a plurality of elongate members each formed of a cellular material and individually covered by a respective layer of fibrous material, the elongate members being arranged side-by-side sandwiched between skins of fibre-reinforced plastics material which are bonded to the layers of fibrous material covering the elongate members, in which each layer of fibrous material is in the form of a strip which is wrapped around the respective elongate member at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the said member.  
     
     
         2 . A boat hull which includes a fabricated sandwich structure according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . A method of fabricating a sandwich structure which includes individually covering a plurality of elongate members formed of a cellular material with respective layers of fibrous material, arranging the elongate members side-by-side, sandwiching the elongate members between skins of fibre-reinforced plastics material, and bonding the skins to the layers of fibrous material covering the elongate members, in which each layer of fibrous material is in the form of a strip which is wrapped around the respective elongate member at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the said member.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , in which the fabricated sandwich structure is incorporated into a boat hull.