In-situ conformable triaxial braided structure

Abstract

Triaxial braided structures are prepared according to one or more conformance orientations that facilitate conformability to a variety of shapes during deployment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A braided structure, comprising:
 a series of longitudinal tows extending in a braided structure longitudinal direction;   a first series of bias tows extending in a first bias direction; and   a second series of bias tows extending in a second bias direction,   the series of longitudinal tows, the first series of bias tows, and the second series of bias tows woven to define the braided structure,   the braided structure arranged according to a conformance orientation,   the conformance orientation is not wholly aligned with the braided structure longitudinal direction, the first bias direction, or the second bias direction,   the conformance orientation is configured to conform to an irregular structure.   
     
     
         2 . The braided structure of  claim 1 , the braided structure is braided as a continuous structure of arbitrary orientation and cut to the conformance orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The braided structure of  claim 1 , further comprising an edge treatment applied after cutting. 
     
     
         4 . The braided structure of  claim 3 , the edge treatment includes a removable adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The braided structure of  claim 1 , the braided structure is braided to the conformance orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The braided structure of  claim 1 , the conformance orientation includes a conformance angle defined by at least one edge of the braided structure in the conformance orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The braided structure of  claim 6 , the braided structure is rectangular and the conformance angle is an angle defined by at least two parallel cut edges in relation to the braided structure longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The braided structure of  claim 1 , the conformance orientation varies along at least one dimension of the braided structure. 
     
     
         9 . The braided structure of  claim 8 , the conformance orientation includes a curve along at least one edge of the braided structure. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a braided structure, comprising:
 providing a series of longitudinal tows;   providing a first series of bias tows;   providing a second series of bias tows;   braiding the series of longitudinal tows, the first series of bias tows, and the second series of bias tows into a braided structure, the longitudinal tows as braided extending through a braided structure longitudinal direction, the first series of bias tows extending through a first bias direction, and the second series of bias tows extending through a second bias direction; and   cutting the braided structure according to a conformance orientation,   the conformance orientation is not wholly aligned with the braided structure longitudinal direction, the first bias direction, or the second bias direction,   the conformance orientation is configured to conform to an irregular structure.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising treating at least one edge of the braided structure after cutting the braided structure according to the conformance orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein treating the at least one edge of the braided structure includes applying a removable adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , the conformance orientation is an angle defined by at least one direction of a cut with reference to the braided structure longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the braided structure is rectangular and the conformance angle is the angle defined by at least two parallel cut rectangular edges in relation to braided structure longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , the conformance orientation varies along at least one dimension of the braided structure. 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a braided structure, comprising:
 providing a series of longitudinal tows;   providing a first series of bias tows; and   providing a second series of bias tows; and   braiding the series of longitudinal tows, the first series of bias tows, and the second series of bias tows into a braided structure, the longitudinal tows as braided extending through a braided structure longitudinal direction, the first series of bias tows extending through a first bias direction, and the second series of bias tows extending through a second bias direction,   the braided structure braided according to a conformance orientation,   the conformance orientation is not wholly aligned with the braided structure longitudinal direction, the first bias direction, or the second bias direction,   the conformance orientation is configured to conform to an irregular structure.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising treating at least one edge of the braided structure after braiding the braided structure according to the conformance orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein treating the at least one edge of the braided structure includes applying a removable adhesive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the conformance orientation is an angle defined by at least one direction of a cut with reference to the braided structure longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , the conformance orientation varies along at least one dimension of the braided structure.