ASSEMBLY HAVING DISCRETIZED AND SEGMENTED JOINT ARCHITECTURE
The present aspects include an assembly having discretized and segmented joint architecture. The assembly comprises a first structure including an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall extend from a base of the first structure, and define a groove, and a plurality of connecting walls extending between the outer wall and the inner wall such that the groove is divided into a plurality of groove segments defined by the outer wall, the inner wall, and the plurality of connecting walls. The assembly further comprises a second structure including a plurality of tongue segments which extend into the plurality of groove segments. A first adhesive is inserted into the groove, thereby bonding the plurality of tongue segments within the plurality of groove segments such that the first and second structures are fixed together.
1 . An assembly, comprising:
a first structure including an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall extend from a base and define a groove, and a plurality of connecting walls extending between the outer wall and the inner wall such that the groove is divided into a plurality of groove segments defined by the outer wall, the inner wall, and the plurality of connecting walls;
a second structure including a plurality of tongue segments extending into the plurality of groove segments; and
a first adhesive in the groove, the first adhesive bonding the plurality of tongue segments in the plurality of groove segments such that the first and second structures are fixed together.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first tongue segment of the plurality of tongue segments extends a first distance, and wherein a second tongue segment of the plurality of tongue segments extends a second distance less than the first distance.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the groove includes a curved section of the groove, wherein at least one of the plurality of connecting walls is located within the curved section.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the groove includes a curved section, wherein at least one of the plurality of connecting walls is located outside of the curved section.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first groove segment and a second groove segment of the plurality of groove segments respectively have a first groove length and a second groove length, wherein the first groove length is greater than the second groove length.
6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein a first tongue segment and a second tongue segment of the plurality of tongue segments are respectively aligned with the first groove segment and the second groove segment, and wherein the first tongue segment and the second tongue segment respectively have a first tongue length and a second tongue length, wherein the first tongue length is greater than the second tongue length, and wherein the first tongue length is sized to fit within the first groove segment and the second tongue length is sized to fit within the second groove segment.
7 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of groove segments have a same groove segment length.
8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tongue segments have a same tongue length and are configured to fit within a respective one of the plurality of groove segments.
9 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first structure further includes a plurality of second connecting walls extending between the outer wall and the inner wall such that the groove is further divided into a plurality of second groove segments defined by the outer wall, the inner wall, and the plurality of second connecting walls, the second structure further includes a plurality of second tongue segments extending into the plurality of second groove segments, and a second adhesive in the second groove segments, wherein the second adhesive is a faster-curing adhesive than the first adhesive, the second adhesive bonding the plurality of second tongue segments in the plurality of second groove segments.
10 . The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second adhesive includes an ultraviolet (UV) cured adhesive.
11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the outer wall includes openings to the second groove segments, the openings being configured to allow a UV light to expose and cure the second adhesive.
12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of connecting walls extend to a bottom of the groove.
13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of connecting walls does not extend to a bottom of the groove.
14 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of connecting walls includes an opening between adjacent ones of the plurality of groove segments.
15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the opening includes at least a mesh or a fork.
16 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall extends further than the inner wall.