Method of thermoforming fiber reinforced thermoplastic sandwich panels, thermoformed articles, and modular container structure assembled therefrom

摘要

A method is disclosed utilizing off the shelf constant cross section thickness sandwich panels comprised of Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic (FRTP) resin skins and low density thermoplastic (TP) core material wherein the steps of selectively and controllably exposing the panels to heat and incrementally thermoforming the skin-core into a consolidated composite edge or intra-panel area in consideration of subsequent mating and attachment of the FRTP sandwich panel to other structures is achieved. The exact configuration of articles so thermoformed is design optimized to overcome manufacturing, assembly, weight, in-service and structural performance shortcomings of prior art and FRP sandwich panel structures. Further disclosed is an improved, load-bearing, modular design container structure assembled from such thermoformed FRTP sandwich panels in which is utilized the unique core-skin edge configuration of the present invention in consideration of improved: load bearing performance, useful load volume, reduced manufacturing costs, structural weight savings, impact and damage tolerance and repair and replace issues.