US 12,138,894 B2
Reinforcement structure and process for reinforcement of a panel element
Thomas Dziekan, Berlin (DE); Uriel Tradowsky, Berlin (DE); Andreas Knaub, Berlin (DE); Robert Braun, Berlin (DE); Lukas Neumann, Berlin (DE); and Holger Alder, Berlin (DE)
Assigned to Photon AG, Berlin (DE)
Filed by Photon AG, Berlin (DE)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/372,743.
Claims priority of application No. 20185657 (EP), filed on Jul. 14, 2020; and application No. 20199587 (EP), filed on Oct. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0016865 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B32B 3/08 (2006.01); B32B 7/08 (2019.01); B32B 7/12 (2006.01); B32B 15/01 (2006.01); B32B 15/20 (2006.01); B61D 17/04 (2006.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); G06F 30/15 (2020.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01); B61D 17/08 (2006.01); B63B 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC B32B 3/08 (2013.01) [B32B 7/08 (2013.01); B32B 7/12 (2013.01); B32B 15/011 (2013.01); B32B 15/016 (2013.01); B32B 15/20 (2013.01); B61D 17/041 (2013.01); B64C 1/064 (2013.01); G06F 30/15 (2020.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01); B32B 2605/10 (2013.01); B32B 2605/12 (2013.01); B32B 2605/18 (2013.01); B61D 17/08 (2013.01); B63B 3/28 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for stiffening a sheet element (7)
comprising:
provision of stiffening modules (5) comprising a flange (9) and a web (11)′,
connecting the stiffening modules (5) sequentially along a load path on the sheet element (7), wherein the stiffening modules (5) are connected via their respective flanges (9) to form a stiffening structure (3), such that the stiffening modules (5) have a combined effect, specifically stiffening and reinforcing the sheet element (7) along the load path,
 wherein the load path for the sheet element (7) has been determined in a topology-optimized manner on the basis of at least one of a stress-optimized simulation or calculation, and wherein the load path is not rectilinear with respect to a surface plane of the sheet element (7) and does not extend in a straight line along the sheet element (7), but has at least one change in direction within the surface plane of the sheet element (7).