Woven metallic reinforcement and method of fabricating same

Abstract

A triaxial woven structure is provided including a first rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs. A second rigid member has a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs. A peak of the first rigid member is disposed within a trough of the second rigid member. A third rigid member has a substantially linear shape and is disposed within a trough of the first rigid member and a peak of the second rigid member.

1 . A triaxial woven structure comprising: 
 a first rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs;    a second rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs, a peak of said first rigid member disposed within a trough of said second rigid member; and    a third rigid member having a substantially linear shape and disposed within a trough of said first rigid member and a peak of said second rigid member.    
   
   
       2 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said third rigid member locks said first, second, and third rigid members together.  
   
   
       3 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first rigid member, said second rigid member, and said third rigid member form a triangle.  
   
   
       4 . The structure according to  claim 3 , wherein an angle between said first rigid member and said second rigid member is between about 19 degrees and 71 degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The structure according to  claim 3 , wherein an angle between said first rigid member and said third rigid member is between about 19 degrees and 71 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said first, second, and third rigid members has a substantially circular cross-section.  
   
   
       7 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first, second, and third rigid members has a substantially rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       8 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are a reinforcing bar material.  
   
   
       9 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are formed from a solid material.  
   
   
       10 . The structure according to  claim 9 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are formed from at least one of i) steel, ii) aluminum, iii) copper, and iv) a polymer.  
   
   
       11 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first, second, and third rigid members is formed from a hollow material.  
   
   
       12 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure has a substantially planar form.  
   
   
       13 . The structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure has a substantially circular cross-section.  
   
   
       14 . A triaxial woven structure comprising: 
 a first rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs;    a second rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs, wherein said second rigid member is a mirror-image of said first rigid member;    a third rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a third plurality of peaks and a third plurality of troughs, a peak of said first rigid member disposed within a trough of said third rigid member;    a fourth rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a fourth plurality of peaks and a fourth plurality of troughs, wherein said fourth rigid member is a mirror-image of said third rigid member, a peak of said fourth rigid member is disposed within a trough of said second rigid member, and another peak of said fourth rigid member is disposed within a trough of said third rigid member; and    a fifth rigid member disposed within said troughs of said first, third, and fourth rigid member and said peaks of said second, third, and fourth rigid member.    
   
   
       15 . The structure according to  claim 14 , wherein i) a first portion of said plurality of peaks and said plurality of troughs of said third rigid member are substantially orthogonal to a remaining portion of said plurality of peaks and said plurality of troughs of said third rigid member, and ii) a first portion of said plurality of peaks and said plurality of troughs of said fourth rigid member are substantially orthogonal to a remaining portion of said plurality of peaks and said plurality of troughs of said fourth rigid member.  
   
   
       16 . The structure according to  claim 14 , wherein said structure has a substantially I-shaped cross-section.  
   
   
       17 . A composite structure comprising: 
 a substrate comprising: 
 i) a first rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs,  
 ii) a second rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs, a peak of said first rigid member disposed within a trough of said second rigid member, and  
 iii) a third rigid member having a substantially linear shape disposed within a trough of said first rigid member and a peak of said second rigid member; and  
   a first layer of material coupled to a first surface of said substrate.    
   
   
       18 . The structure according to  claim 17 , wherein said third rigid member has a substantially linear shape.  
   
   
       19 . The structure according to  claim 17 , wherein said third rigid member has a substantially spiral shape.  
   
   
       20 . The structure according to  claim 17 , further comprising a second layer of the material coupled to a further surface of said substrate, 
 wherein said first layer of material is adhered to said substrate by one of welding and an adhesive.    
   
   
       21 . A triaxial woven structure comprising: 
 a first rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs;    a second rigid member having a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs, a peak of said first rigid member disposed within a trough of said second rigid member; and    a third rigid member having a substantially spiral shape and disposed within a trough of said first rigid member and a peak of said second rigid member.    
   
   
       22 . The structure according to  claim 21 , wherein said structure has a substantially planar form.  
   
   
       23 . A triaxial woven structure comprising: 
 a pair of first rigid members adjacent one another, each having a serpentine shape comprising a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of troughs;    a pair of second rigid members adjacent one another, each having a serpentine shape comprising a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of troughs, a peak of said first rigid members disposed within a trough of said second rigid members; and    a third rigid member having a substantially linear shape and disposed within a trough of a first one of said pair of first rigid members and a peak of a second one of said first rigid members, and a trough of a first one of said pair of second rigid members and a peak of a second one of said pair of second rigid members.    
   
   
       24 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said third rigid member locks said first, second, and third rigid members together.  
   
   
       25 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said first rigid member, said second rigid member, and said third rigid member form a triangle.  
   
   
       26 . The structure according to  claim 25 , wherein an angle between said first rigid member and said second rigid member is between about 19 degrees and 71 degrees.  
   
   
       27 . The structure according to  claim 25 , wherein an angle between said first rigid member and said third rigid member is between about 19 degrees and 71 degrees.  
   
   
       28 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein each of said first, second, and third rigid members has a substantially circular cross-section.  
   
   
       29 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of said first, second, and third rigid members has a substantially rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       30 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are a reinforcing bar material.  
   
   
       31 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are formed from a solid material.  
   
   
       32 . The structure according to  claim 31 , wherein said first, second, and third rigid members are formed from at least one of i) steel, ii) aluminum, iii) copper, and iv) a polymer.  
   
   
       33 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of said first, second, and third rigid members is formed from a hollow material.  
   
   
       34 . The structure according to  claim 23 , wherein said structure has a substantially planar form.  
   
   
       35 . A method of forming a triaxial woven structure comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a first rigid member and a second rigid member;    b) shaping each of said first rigid member and said second rigid member into a serpentine by forming a respective plurality of peaks and a respective plurality of troughs therein;    c) placing a peak of said first rigid member within a trough of said second rigid member; and    d) inserting a third rigid member having a substantially linear shape within a trough of said first rigid member and a peak of said second rigid member.    
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising the steps of repeating steps c) and d).  
   
   
       37 . A method of forming a triaxial woven structure comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a first rigid member and a second rigid member;    b) shaping each of said first rigid member and said second rigid member into a serpentine by forming a respective plurality of peaks and a respective plurality of troughs therein;    c) placing a peak of said first rigid member within a trough of said second rigid member; and    d) rotating a third rigid member having a substantially spiral shape within a trough of said first rigid member and a peak of said second rigid member.    
   
   
       38 . The method according to  claim 37 , further comprising the steps of repeating steps c) and d).