The present invention relates to a sandwich panel with a recessed channel network for embedding a space frame into the sandwich panel, a structural aircraft component employing a space frame structure embedded in such a sandwich panel, and a method for manufacturing a sandwich panel.
Beams, joists and frames for construction work, for example in aeronautics, civil engineering or architecture, are designed to withstand bending forces acting perpendicular to the direction of extension of the respective beams. Conventional beams may be implemented as an integral part with flanges at the edges and a web spanning between the flanges. Alternatively, instead of a web, cutter milled struts may be implemented between parallel running longitudinal support bars, thus leading to decreased weight of the beam due to less material being used to form the beam.
In order to save weight on board an aircraft, there have been several attempts to optimize the design of structural aircraft components. For example, document WO 2014/111707 A1 discloses a method for designing an object that includes analyzing a digital model corresponding to the object for portions that have been determined to, during use of the object, experience relatively high stresses. Those high stress regions are used to determine which portions of the object are to be produced using an Additive Manufacturing (AM) process, and which portions of the object are to be produced using a different suitable process, for example a machining process. Document US 2016/0297509 A1 discloses a sandwich panel for an aircraft having a lower top layer, an upper top layer and a core layer including pins that extend from a lower top layer in the direction of the upper top layer, the pins being interconnected by rods running inside the core layer, and forming a one-piece network. Document US 2011/0183104 A1 discloses a sandwich panel with a honeycomb-shaped core structure and plane-parallel cover layers applied to both sides of this core structure to form a floor surface in a fuselage airframe of an aircraft, the core structure having at least one recess into which at least one reinforcing structure is integrated.
There is, however, a need for structural components in aircraft that may be line- and retrofit more easily and that offer greater flexibility in design, appearance and branding for the airline.