Half panel

Abstract

The present invention provides a half panel having on its back ribs defining symmetrically complimentary closed wall open faced cells and ribs having spaces there between. The half panel may be placed in back to back relationship and rotated through a required degree of rotation so that the open faced closed wall cells and ribs having spaces there between interlock so the open faced closed wall cells have at least one diagonal cross member. This provides a rigid panel suitable for a number of applications including forms for pouring concrete.

1 . A modular half panel comprising a web having a planar upper surface having integrally on its back arrays of substantially vertical ribs of uniform depth defining open faced closed wall cells and cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between so when two half panels are placed back to back and rotated to align the cells and cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between the closed wall cells interlock and intersect with the cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between so that the closed wall cells have at least one reinforcing rib traversing said cell, said half panel further comprising two or more vertical side wall portions descending in the same direction and to the same depth as said ribs said side wall portions positioned on the periphery of said web so that when two half panels are interconnected the wall portions form a complete outer wall for the resulting panel. 
   
   
       2 . The half panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the ribs taper inwardly to an upper radiused edge. 
   
   
       3 . The half panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the open faced closed wall cells are in the shape of a parallelogram or hexagon. 
   
   
       4 . The half panel according to  claim 3 , wherein the side length of the open faced closed wall cells are from 2 inches to 12 inches. 
   
   
       5 . The half panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the half panel is a square or a rectangle. 
   
   
       6 . The half panel according to  claim 5 , wherein in the cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between further comprise contact members descending from the web at locations which will contact corners of the closed wall cells. 
   
   
       7 . The half panel according to  claim 6 , wherein the side wall portions depend from two opposed corners of the half panel and extend along the perimeter of the panel for one half of length of the panel edge. 
   
   
       8 . The half panel according to  claim 7 , wherein the open faced closed wall cells are in an array symmetrically arranged about the center point of the half cell and the cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between are arranged about the center point of the half panel in a complimentary symmetrical array. 
   
   
       9 . The half panel according to  claim 8 , wherein the open faced closed wall cells define a square, rectangle or hexagon and the cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between define a diagonal cross or six pointed star. 
   
   
       10 . The half panel according to  claim 9 , wherein the web is a metal or alloy comprising one or more metals selected from the group consisting of titanium, molybdenum, chromium, aluminum, magnesium, iron, nickel, and tungsten. 
   
   
       11 . The half panel according to  claim 9 , wherein the web is a thermoset resin selected from the group consisting of unsaturated polyesters, phenolic resins, epoxide resins, polyimides and novolak resins, and urethane resins. 
   
   
       12 . The half panel according to  claim 11 , wherein the web further optionally comprises from 0 to 40 weight % of one or more components selected from the group consisting of talc, calcium carbonate, silica, mica, wollastonite, hollow glass spheres and fibers selected from the group consisting of glass, polyester, polyamide, aramid and carbon fibers. 
   
   
       13 . The half panel according to  claim 12 , wherein the fibers have a length of not less than 0.5 cm. 
   
   
       14 . The half panel according to  claim 11 , wherein the web further optionally comprises from 0 to 30 weight % of one or more flame retardants, heat and light stabilizers, and release agents. 
   
   
       15 . The half panel according to  claim 9 , wherein the web comprises a compression or injection moldable thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       16 . The half panel according to  claim 15 , wherein the web further optionally comprises from 0 to 40 weight % of one or more components selected from the group consisting of talc, calcium carbonate, silica, mica, wollastonite, and hollow glass spheres. 
   
   
       17 . The half panel according to  claim 15 , wherein the web further optionally comprises from 0 to 30 weight % of one or more flame retardants, heat and light stabilizers, and release agents. 
   
   
       18 . The half panel according to  claim 15 , wherein the web further comprises from 0.5 to 40 weight % of one or more reinforcing fibers selected from the group consisting of glass, polyester, polyamide, aramid and carbon fibers. 
   
   
       19 . The half panel according to  claim 18 , wherein the web thermoplastic further optionally comprises from 0 to 10 weight % of a compatibilizer. 
   
   
       20 . The half panel according to  claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polymers of one or more C 2-8  olefins optionally further comprising from  0  to 50 weight % of one or more C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxlic acids, anhydrides, amides, or nitrites, polymers of one or more C 8-12  vinyl aromatic monomers optionally further comprising from 0 to 50 weight % of one or more C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxlic acids, anhydrides, amides, or nitriles; polyacrylonitrile; polycarbonates; acetals; polyetherkeones; and polysulfones. 
   
   
       21 . The half panel according to  claim 20 , wherein the thermoplastic further includes from 5 to 30 weight % of a rubbery impact modifier. 
   
   
       22 . The half panel according to  claim 20 , where the compatibilizer is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of one or more C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides or amides; copolymers comprising from 5 to 95 weight % of one or more C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides or amides and from 95 to 5 weight % of one or amides, esters, or C 2-8  olefins and C 2-8  polyolefins, which have been grafted with from 5 to 30 weight % of one or more C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides or amides, polyesters which have been grafted with from 5 to 30 weight % of C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides or amides and polyamides which have been grafted with from 5 to 30 weight % of C 3-6  ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or anhydrides. 
   
   
       23 . The half panel according to  claim 22 , wherein the thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, copolymers of styrene and maleic acid, copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride, copolymers of styrene and maleimide, copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, and polyacrylonitirle. 
   
   
       24 . The half panel according to  claim 23 , wherein the thermoplastic has a density greater than 0.930 g/cc. 
   
   
       25 . The half panel according to  claim 24 , wherein the thermoplastic is a polyolefin. 
   
   
       26 . The half panel according to  claim 25 , wherein the polyolefin comprises from 99 to 90 weight % of ethylene and from 1 to 10 weight % of one or more C 3-8  alpha olefins. 
   
   
       27 . The half panel according to  claim 26 , wherein the thermoplastic is reinforced with from 10 to 40 weight % of glass fiber. 
   
   
       28 . The half panel according to  claim 27 , wherein the total thermoplastic composition further comprises from 1 to 8 weight % of a compatibilizer. 
   
   
       29 . The half panel according to  claim 28 , wherein the compatiblizer is selected from the group consisting of glycidyl methacrylate, ionomers of 80 to 95 weight % of ethylene and 20 to 5 weight % of one or more C 3-6  carboxylic acids; copolymers of 80 to 95 weight % of ethylene and 20 to 5 weight % of one or more C 3-6  carboxylic acids, copolymers of 80 to 95 weight % of ethylene and 20 to 5 weight % of one or more anhydrides of C 3-6  carboxylic acids and copolymers of 80 to 95 weight % of ethylene and 20 to 5 weight % of one or more imides of C 3-6  carboxylic acids and ethylene vinyl acetate. 
   
   
       30 . A process for forming a panel comprising fixing two half panels according to  claim 9 , in back to back relationship so that the cells on each half panel intersect and interlock with the cells on the facing half panel. 
   
   
       31 . A process for forming a panel comprising fixing two half panels according to  claim 11 , in back to back relationship so that the cells on each half panel intersect and interlock with the cells on the facing half panel. 
   
   
       32 . A process for forming a panel comprising fixing two half panels according to  claim 15 , in back to back relationship so that the cells on each half panel intersect with the cells on the facing half panel. 
   
   
       33 . A mold having spaces defining a planar upper surface having integrally on its back arrays of substantially vertical ribs of uniform depth defining open faced closed wall cells and cooperating arrays of ribs having spaces there between, and two or more vertical side wall portions descending in the same direction and to the same depth as said ribs.