Patent ID: 6652501
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: A61F,B32B,D04H,Y10T

Abstract:
A bonded composite, comprising:(a) as a first thin-section element, a first layer of sheet material; (b) a second thin-section element bonded to said first thin-section element, at least in part, by bond elements; and (c) adherent material disposed between said first and second thin-section elements proximate and about ones of said bond elements, said adherent material at least in part bonding the thin-section elements to each other at loci of said adherent material, the combination of said adherent material and said bond elements defining a bond pattern, the bond pattern having a pattern length, a pattern width represented by first and second side edges of the bond pattern, and a central longitudinal axis, the side edges of the bond pattern, and a corresponding pattern area between such side edges, being defined generally by those areas of the respective thin-section elements which participate in absorbing and dissipating, by operation of the bond pattern, stresses received into the bond pattern from external sources,the bond pattern having a pattern density defined generally by the fraction of the pattern area occupied by said bond elements, the bond elements proximate the side edges being spaced farther apart from each other than bond elements disposed more away from the side edges, thus creating a relatively less dense portion of the bond pattern proximate the side edges of the pattern, as measured by bond element fraction of the pattern area, and a relatively more dense portion of the bond pattern, as measured by bond element fraction of the pattern area, away from the side edges,(d) as ones of said bond elements, a first sub-array of longitudinally-oriented separate, distinct, and spaced stress receptor elements disposed along the length, and proximate the side edges of, the bond pattern, and (e) as ones of said bond elements, a second sub-array of longitudinally-oriented separate, distinct, and spaced transfer and dissipation elements spaced along the length of the bond pattern, inwardly of the side edges of the bond pattern and generally inwardly of the stress receptor elements, respective said transfer and dissipation elements having first ends disposed toward an interior of the bond pattern, said respective transfer and dissipation elements extending to second ends adjacent the side edges of the bond pattern, the stress transfer and dissipation elements directing stresses inwardly into the interior of the bond pattern, and dissipating such stresses on the interior of the bond pattern.