Vehicular structural members and method of making the members

• US 20030194548A1
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: McLeod, David G., Allen, Mark P., Billotto, Frank V., Brewster, Christopher A., Said, Kousay M., Swartzmiller, Steve B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,097,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/304.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/18 Filling preformed cavities B29C44/1204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/184 and inserting the bags into preformed cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/188 Sealing off parts of the cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/08 Insulating elements, e.g. for sound insulation sound insulating linings for trains B61D17/185; drivers' cabs for load-carrying vehicles insulated against vibrations or noise B62D33/0604; thermal or acoustic insulation of engines F02B77/11; damping of sounds using compensation by electro-acoustic methods G10K11/178
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/04 Door pillars ; windshield pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/002 a foamable synthetic material or metal being added in situ shaping of substances in a plastic state by foaming, in general B29C44/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24496 Foamed or cellular component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer

Abstract

The present invention is an article comprising a shaped rigid foam part; a heat activated foamable adhesive applied directly to at least a portion of the outer surface of the shaped foam part and an integral locating means. A second aspect of the invention is a method of forming a foam filled vehicle hollow member comprising, (a) inserting into a vehicular hollow member a rigid foam part comprised of a rigid foam having a heat activated foamable adhesive on at least a portion of the rigid foam insert and at least one integral locating means extending from a surface of the rigid foam, (b) engaging the locating means with the hollow member to locate the rigid foam part within the hollow member, and (c) heating the hollow member having the rigid foam part therein to a temperature and for a time sufficient to activate the heat activated expandable adhesive to form the foam filled vehicle hollow member.

Claims

1. A method of forming a foam filled vehicle hollow member comprising,

(a) inserting a rigid foam insert comprised of a rigid foam having a heat activated foamable adhesive on at least a portion of the rigid foam insert and at least one integral locating pin extending from a surface of the rigid foam into a vehicular hollow member having at least one hole, such that upon inserting, the locating pin of the insert is thrust in the hole in the hollow member resulting in the rigid foam insert being located and held within the hollow member, and

(b) heating the hollow member having the rigid foam insert therein to a temperature and time sufficient to activate the heat activated expandable adhesive to form the foam filled vehicle hollow member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rigid foam insert has at least one adhesive dam on the surface of the rigid foam insert where said dam, upon expansion of the expandable adhesive, causes at least a portion of the foam insert to be free of the expandable adhesive.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam filled hollow member, prior to the heating of step (b), has a temporary drain channel that is defined by a foam insert wall and a vehicular hollow member wall.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicular foam filled hollow member has at least one conduit defined by a foam insert wall and a vehicular hollow member wall.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the heating occurs during E-coating process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the locating pin has an end surface that is a distinctly different color than the foam insert and hollow member.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the locating pin is comprised of a base protruding from the surface of the foam insert, the base having a base surface that has a pinnacle protruding therefrom and the base surface has an adhesive that bonds the insert to the hollow member prior to the heating of step b.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam insert is a polyurethane foam.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable adhesive is an epoxy adhesive.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the expandable adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the elastomeric adhesive is EPDM.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam insert has at least two locating pins.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the locating pin holds the foam insert in place mechanically.

14. The method of claim 2 wherein the adhesive dam has a height that is essentially the same as the expandable adhesive'"'"'s thickness.

15. The method claim 7 wherein the base surface has a height that is essentially the same as the expandable adhesive'"'"'s thickness.

16. An article comprising a shaped rigid foam part;

a heat activated foamable adhesive applied directly to at least a portion of the outer surface of the shaped rigid foam part and an integral locating means.

17. An article according to claim 16 wherein the integral locating means is a shaped indentation or protrusion in the rigid foam part;

a second part partially molded into the rigid foam part wherein the portion of the second part also protrudes from the part and which is adapted to locate the rigid foam part in the proper location of a hollow member.

18. An article according to claim 17 wherein the locating means is a locating pin, a metal tab, a protrusion having pressure-sensitive or a magnet applied thereto, an insert having threads adapted for receiving a screw, or a partially molded in second part wherein the portion of the second part protruding from the rigid foam insert is a mechanically affixing means.

19. A method of forming a foam filled vehicle hollow member comprising,

a) inserting into a hollow member a shaped rigid foam part comprising of a shaped rigid foam having a heat activated foamable adhesive on at least a portion of the rigid foam part and at least one integral locating means extending from a surface of the rigid foam part;

b) engaging the locating means of the rigid foam part with the hollow member to locate the rigid foam insert in the hollow member; and

c) heating the hollow member having the rigid foam part therein to a temperature and time sufficient to activate the heat activated expandable adhesive to form the foam filled vehicle hollow member.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the locating means is a metal tab and the rigid foam is engaged with the hollow member by welding the metal tabs to the hollow member.

21. A method according to claim 19 wherein the locating means is a molded insert having threads adapted for receiving a screw and the rigid foam insert is engaged with the hollow member by inserting a screw through a hole in the hollow member and screwing the screw into the threaded insert.