Reinforcement and armouring panel for a vehicle

The present invention refers to a reinforcement and armouring panel for a vehicle.

In particular, the present invention refers to a reinforcement and armouring panel for a vehicle, of the type made of a multilayer panel provided with layers of material which deforms plastically (sacrificial layers) without damaging the main structure.

It is known that materials, having perfectly plastic characteristics, can be layers made up of adjacent and overlapped metal cells and metal or ceramic foams. <figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref> shows an example of a reinforcement and armouring panel formed by a non-sacrificial structure 2 and by a plurality of sacrificial layers each formed by a base sheet 21 provided on which are variously shaped lamellas 22 (for example forming a honeycomb structure), which connect it to the base sheet of the subsequent layer forming the abovementioned cells.

The applicant thought of providing a reinforcement and armouring panel for a vehicle using ceramic or metal foams.

For such purpose, the applicant made a reinforcement and armouring panel, for a vehicle, formed by a plurality of aluminium sheets separated by at least one layer of ceramic foam, made up of cubes of such material composed in a mosaic in such a manner to form such layer. Furthermore, the applicant prepared a procedure for manufacturing such reinforcement panels.

An aspect of the present invention refers to a reinforcement and armouring panel for a vehicle, with the characteristics of the attached claim 1.

Further characteristics of the panel are included in the subsequent dependent claims.

A further aspect of the present invention refers to a procedure for manufacturing such panel with the characteristics of the attached claim 8.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention shall be clearer from the following description and annexed drawings, strictly provided for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, wherein: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">Figure 1</figref> schematically represents an exploded view of a multilayer panel provided with a honeycomb structure;</li><li><figref idref="f0001">Figure 2</figref> schematically represents an exploded view of a multilayer panel according to the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002 f0003">Figures 3a-3e</figref> illustrate the various steps of the procedure for manufacturing the panel according to the present invention.</li></ul>

Referring to the mentioned figures the panel according to the present invention can be used as a reinforcement and armouring panel for vehicles and arranged for example on the following zones: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Sides</li><li>Hull-bottom.</li></ul>

Such panel comprises a plurality of metal sheets 3, for example made of aluminium, placed between which is a metal or ceramic foam layer 4. Preferably, the foam layer comprises a plurality of foam elements, for example cubes 41, arranged in a manner to form a substantially smooth surface, inserted between two adjacent metal sheets.

Metal foams suitable for the present invention are open-celled foams having pores between 1 and 4 mm, based on alumina (A1203).

Ceramic foams suitable for the present invention are open-celled foams based on silicon carbide (SiC) with pores from 2 to 4 mm.

A suitable thickness of the aluminium sheets amounts to approximately 1-5 mm while the thickness of the foam layer amounts to approximately 30-50 mm.

The procedure for manufacturing such panel (illustrated in <figref idref="f0002 f0003">figures 3a-3e</figref>) provides for the use of ceramic foams in regular-shaped elements 41, preferably of the same dimensions, in such a manner to be attachable to each other to form a substantially smooth layer. A shape suitable for such objective is for example a parallelepiped or cube shape.

In the first step, the elements 41 are arranged side by side inside a special frame or mould 42 of preset shape and dimensions, in such a manner to form a substantially smooth foam layer 4 of the desired dimensions (<figref idref="f0002">figure 3a</figref>).

Subsequently, on a surface of the first metal sheet 31 made of the same the dimensions of the foam layer, a resin (for example a protomix resin) is spread and such surface is laid over the foam layer (<figref idref="f0002">figure 3b</figref>) sticking the metal sheet to the foam layer hence obtaining a first manufactured product.

Subsequently, the sheet plus foam layer assembly is overturned and the mould is removed (<figref idref="f0002">figure 3c</figref>).

Then a surface of a second metal sheet is smeared with the abovementioned resin and the sheet is placed on the manufactured product on the side smeared with resin sticking it thereto (<figref idref="f0003">figure 3d</figref>). Subsequently, also the upper uncovered side of such second metal sheet is smeared with such resin and another manufactured product is placed over it, subjecting the obtained panel to pressure for a preset period of time to let the resin dry. Finally obtained, as illustrated in <figref idref="f0003">figure 3e</figref>, is a panel made up of three sheets and two foam layers. Panels having additional foam layers and additional metal sheets can be obtained by sticking, using resin, additional manufactured products (a sheet + a foam layer) on an already made panel.