Contourable core for structural laminates

摘要

A light-weight, high-strength contourable core for inclusion in a contoured structural laminate in which the core is sandwiched between facing skins. The core is constituted by a planar array of block-like modules preferably made of end-grain balsa wood held together in edge-to-edge relation by a scrim formed by elastomeric filaments which extend through the body of the modules in an intermediate plane parallel to the opposing faces of the core. When the planar core is pressed against a wet-coated contoured skin surface for lamination thereto, the filaments bridging adjacent modules elongate to an extent permitting these modules to separate and conform to this surface. The filaments have an elastic recovery force low enough to prevent the modules from overcoming the surface tension created by the wet-coated surface and pulling away therefrom. However, the holding power of the filaments is sufficient to preclude disassembly of the core modules during normal core handling procedures.