High strength low density multi-purpose panel

Abstract

A high strength low density panel. The panel is formed of sections. Each section will preferably have the shape of a cuboid or a prism. At least one face of each section is provided with a buttress. The sections are preferably inverted relative to each other. The sections are configured so that they share sidewalls with each adjacent section, which creates a series of braces extending across the panel. The prismatic sections are paired to form cuboids. These cuboids have a diagonal internal wall. The internal walls of the cuboids align in the panel to create braces that extend across the panel at an angle to the other braces. Finally, all of the buttresses are configured so that the buttress of adjacent and eater-corner sections meet their respective common section corners at substantially the same point.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A high strength low density panel having an upper face opposite a lower face, said panel comprising:
 a plurality of substantially hollow sections, each said section having a shored face opposite a second face and four corners extending between said shored face and said second face;   each section having four sidewalls of substantially continuous material, each said sidewall extending from each corner to an adjacent corner; each said sidewall further extending from a shored border substantially coplanar with said shored face to a second border substantially coplanar with said second face; wherein each border has a midpoint and wherein each corner has a midpoint;   each section having a buttress comprising a rectangular sheet of material positioned substantially coplanar with said shored face, wherein said rectangular sheet has four corners and wherein each corner of said rectangular sheet joins one of said shored borders at about the midpoint of said shored border; each buttress further comprising a plurality of braces, each brace extending from two adjacent corners of said rectangular sheet to the one of said section corners positioned between said adjacent corners of said rectangular sheet.   
     
     
         2 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein each said brace extending from said two adjacent corners of said rectangular sheet extends to about said midpoint of said one of said section corners positioned between said adjacent corners of said rectangular sheet. 
     
     
         3 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 2  wherein said sections are positioned in said panel in rows and columns. 
     
     
         4 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 3  wherein said sections are positioned relative to each other so that the sidewalls of one section join with the sidewalls of each adjacent section, whereby an interlocking plurality of braces is created across said panel. 
     
     
         5 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 4  wherein said interlocking plurality of braces comprise two sets of substantially parallel braces. 
     
     
         6 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 5  wherein said sets of braces are substantially perpendicular. 
     
     
         7 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 2  wherein said buttress braces are substantially triangular. 
     
     
         8 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 7  wherein said plurality of triangular braces extend along and are connected to adjacent sidewalls of said section. 
     
     
         9 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 8  wherein said sidewalls further comprise a plurality of aligned apertures. 
     
     
         10 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 9  further comprising a substantially rigid rod extending through said aligned apertures, whereby said rod will reinforce said panel. 
     
     
         11 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 10  wherein said rod is substantially hollow, whereby said rod will serve as a conduit through said panel. 
     
     
         12 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 11  wherein said rod is positioned to pass through substantially no buttress braces. 
     
     
         13 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein said second face is a free face, having no buttress. 
     
     
         14 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 13  wherein said sections are oriented relative to each other in an alternating pattern whereby each section adjacent to a section with a shored face proximate to the upper face of the panel will have a free face proximate to the upper face of the panel. 
     
     
         15 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 14  wherein each section cater-corner to a section with a shored face proximate to the upper face of the panel will have a shored face proximate to the upper face of the panel. 
     
     
         16 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 15  wherein said sections are arranged relative to each other so that each section corner internal to the panel will be shared by four sections. 
     
     
         17 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 16  wherein a triangular brace from each of said four sections sharing said corner will meet said corner at about the same point. 
     
     
         18 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein said substantially hollow sections are filled with sound dampening material. 
     
     
         19 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein said substantially hollow sections are filled with flame retardant material. 
     
     
         20 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  further comprising a laminated surface covering said upper face of said panel. 
     
     
         21 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein said panel has areas of relatively higher and lower density, wherein said areas of higher density are comprised of a portion of said plurality of substantially hollow sections and wherein said areas of lower density are comprised of another portion of said plurality of substantially hollow sections, wherein all said sections have a perimeter and wherein the perimeter of said sections comprising said area of relatively higher density have perimeters that are smaller than the sections comprising said area of relatively lower density. 
     
     
         22 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 21  wherein said perimeters of said sections comprising said area of relatively lower density are sized relative to said perimeters of said sections comprising said area of relatively higher density in a ratio of about 1:9. 
     
     
         23 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 1  wherein said panel is curved. 
     
     
         24 . A high strength low density panel having an upper face opposite a lower face, said panel comprising:
 a plurality of substantially hollow sections, each said section having a shored face opposite a second face and three corners extending between said shored face and said second face;   each section having three sidewalls of substantially continuous material, each said sidewall extending from each corner to an adjacent corner; each said sidewall further extending from a shored border substantially coplanar with said shored face to a second border substantially coplanar with said second face; wherein each border has a midpoint and wherein each corner has a midpoint;   each section having a buttress comprising a triangular sheet of material positioned substantially coplanar with said shored face, wherein said triangular sheet has three corners and wherein each corner of said triangular sheet joins one of said shored borders at about the midpoint of said shored border; each buttress further comprising a plurality of braces, each brace extending from two adjacent corners of said triangular sheet to the one of said section corners positioned between said adjacent corners of said triangular sheet.   
     
     
         25 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein each said brace extending from said two adjacent corners of said triangular sheet extends to about said midpoint of said one of said section corners positioned between said adjacent corners of said triangular sheet. 
     
     
         26 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 25  wherein said sections are positioned in adjacent pairs to form a plurality of cuboids. 
     
     
         27 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 26  wherein two of said sidewalls of each section in said adjacent pair of sections form external sidewalls of said cuboids. 
     
     
         28 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 27  wherein said plurality of cuboids are positioned in said panel in rows and columns. 
     
     
         29 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 28  wherein said cuboids are positioned relative to each other so that said external sidewalls of one cuboid join with the external sidewalls of each adjacent cuboid, whereby an interlocking plurality of braces is created across said panel. 
     
     
         30 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 28  wherein one of said sidewalls of each section in said adjacent pair of sections forms an internal wall extending diagonally across said cuboid. 
     
     
         31 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 30  wherein said cuboids are positioned relative to each other so that said internal wall of one cuboid joins with the internal walls of each cater-corner cuboid, whereby an interlocking plurality of braces is created across said panel. 
     
     
         32 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 26  wherein said braces are substantially triangular. 
     
     
         33 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 32  wherein said plurality of triangular braces extend along and are connected to adjacent sidewalls of said section. 
     
     
         34 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 33  wherein said sidewalls further comprise a plurality of aligned apertures. 
     
     
         35 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 34  further comprising a substantially rigid rod extending through said aligned apertures, whereby said rod will reinforce said panel. 
     
     
         36 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 35  wherein said rod is substantially hollow, whereby said rod will serve as a conduit through said panel. 
     
     
         37 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 36  wherein said rod is positioned to pass through substantially no buttress braces. 
     
     
         38 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein said second face is a free face, having no buttress. 
     
     
         39 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 38  wherein said sections are oriented relative to each other in an alternating pattern whereby each section sharing a sidewall with a section having a shored face proximate to the upper face of the panel will have a free face proximate to the upper face of the panel. 
     
     
         40 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 39  wherein said sections are arranged relative to each other so that each corner internal to the panel will be shared by at least six sections. 
     
     
         41 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 40  wherein all said braces joining said corner shared by said at least six sections will meet said corner at substantially the same point. 
     
     
         42 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein said substantially hollow sections are filled with sound dampening material. 
     
     
         43 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein said substantially hollow sections are filled with flame retardant material. 
     
     
         44 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  further comprising a laminated surface covering said upper face of said panel. 
     
     
         45 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein said panel has areas of relatively higher and lower density, wherein said areas of higher density are comprised of a portion of said plurality of substantially hollow sections and wherein said areas of lower density are comprised of another portion of said plurality of substantially hollow sections, wherein all said sections have a perimeter and wherein the perimeter of said sections comprising said area of relatively higher density have perimeters that are smaller than the sections comprising said area of relatively lower density. 
     
     
         46 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 45  wherein said perimeters of said sections comprising said area of relatively lower density are sized relative to said perimeters of said sections comprising said area of relatively higher density in a ratio of about 1:4. 
     
     
         47 . A high strength low density panel according to  claim 24  wherein panel is curved.