Method for forming three-dimensional support structure

Abstract

A three-dimensional support structure is provided and includes a single sheet of material that is folded into a repeating pattern of cells. Each of the cells is formed by first and second spaced-apart endwalls and first and second sloped sidewalls spanning between the endwalls. Each endwall comprises two plies of material while each sidewall comprises a single ply of material. The first and second sidewalls are adjoined at a folded edge. The cells are aligned such that the first endwall of one cell from the repeating pattern abuts the second endwall of an adjacent cell of the repeating pattern to form a four-ply wall of the material. A first liner may be attached to a first side of the folded material and a second liner may be attached to a second side of the folded material.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for creating a three-dimensional support structure having opposite first and second surfaces, comprising providing a single sheet of foldable material having a first crease path that is linear when the sheet of material is unfolded and a plurality of first, second and third chevrons spaced apart along the first crease path and extending parallel to each other when the sheet of material is unfolded wherein each chevron includes first and second chevron legs that intersect each other at the first crease path and wherein the first crease path has a first path segment extending between the first chevron and the second chevron and a second path segment extending between the second chevron and the third chevron, folding the sheet of foldable material along the second chevron and along the second path segment in a first direction and along the first path segment in a second direction opposite to the first direction so that each second chevron forms a ridge disposed in the first surface of the support structure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising compressing the sheet of foldable material so that each first chevron leg and second chevron leg moves towards the first crease path so as to form a four ply wall in the sheet of foldable material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the compressing step includes compressing the sheet of foldable material so that the first and second chevron legs of each chevron extend substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the compressing step includes compressing the sheet of foldable material so that the first and second chevron legs of each chevron extend substantially parallel to the first crease path. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and second chevron legs of the second chevron has an end and wherein the sheet of foldable material includes a line segment extending from the end of each of the first and second chevron legs of the second chevron and wherein the folding step includes folding the sheet of foldable material along the line segments in the first direction so that the line segments form part of the ridge disposed in the first surface of the support structure. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the first and second chevron legs of the first and third chevrons has an end and wherein the sheet of foldable material includes a line segment extending from the end of each of the first and second chevron legs of the first and third chevrons and wherein the folding step includes folding the sheet of foldable material along the first and second chevron legs of the first and third chevrons and respective line segments in the second direction so that the first and second chevron legs of the first and third chevrons and respective line segments form a ridge disposed in the second surface of the support structure. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the line segments are collinear when the sheet of material is unfolded. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second chevron legs of the second chevron are equal in length. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the first and second chevron legs of the first and third chevrons are equal in length. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second chevron legs of the first, second and third chevrons are equal in length. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each first chevron leg of the first, second and third second chevrons has an end and wherein the sheet of foldable material includes a first additional first crease path extending between the ends of the first chevron legs and wherein each second chevron leg of the first, second and third second chevrons has an end and wherein the sheet of foldable material includes a second additional first crease path extending between the ends of the second chevron legs. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first additional first crease path and the second additional first crease path each extend parallel to the first crease path when the sheet of material is unfolded. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first additional first crease path and the second additional first crease path each includes an additional first path segment extending between the first chevron and the second chevron and an additional second path segment extending between the second chevron and the third chevron, and wherein the folding step includes folding the sheet of foldable material along each additional first path segment in the first direction and along each additional second path segment in the second direction.