Gusset plate construction

Abstract

A method of constructing plates from tetrahedral and or pyramid shaped cups joined to one another at their base perimeter in an array and joined at their apexes to a flat sheet resulting in a rigid plate with open tetrahedral or pyramid shaped cups on one side and a flat surface on the other. Between the cup shape and flat sheet pipes and or wires may be run. The plates may be made in any size and various materials. Joining of the shapes may be as molded or secondary by fasteners, gluing or welding. Variations of the method include mirroring said tetrahedral or pyramid shaped cups joined at the base and joining them at their apexes with or without a flat sheet between. In addition the sheets may be curved.

1 . A Gusset Panel comprised of 2 parallel sheets; one sheet being flat throughout and the other comprised of a rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters and with said pyramid shaped cups apexes joined with said sheet being flat throughout. 
     
     
         2 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 1  in which the two said parallel sheets are curved. 
     
     
         3 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 1  in which the rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is replaced by a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their perimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 1  in which the said rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is joined at their base perimeters with a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their base perimeters. 
     
     
         5 . A Gusset Panel comprised of 2 parallel sheets; each sheet being comprised of a rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters and with said pyramid shaped cups apexes facing each other in mirror fashion from sheet to sheet and joined at said apexes. 
     
     
         6 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 5  in which the two said parallel sheets are curved. 
     
     
         7 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 5  in which the rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is replaced by a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their base perimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 5  in which the rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is joined at their base perimeters with a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their base perimeters. 
     
     
         9 . A Gusset Panel comprised of 3 parallel sheets; 2 of which are comprised of a rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters and with said pyramid shaped cups facing each other in mirror fashion from sheet to sheet and joined at their apexes with a third parallel sheet being flat throughout. 
     
     
         10 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 9  in which the three said parallel sheets are curved. 
     
     
         11 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 9  in which the rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is replaced by a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their base perimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The Gusset Panel in  claim 9  in which said rectangular array of pyramid shaped cups joined at their base perimeters is joined to a triangular array of tetrahedral shaped cups joined at their base perimeters to each other and to said pyramid shaped cups at their base perimeters.