Reinforced foam articles
First Claim
1. In a freestanding form module for receiving flowable materials to make a wall which includes the form module, the flowable materials exerting a force in a selected direction, the form module comprising at least two spaced-apart form members having opposed interior form surfaces, each form member including a wall portion and a rib portion extending from the wall portion toward another one of said form members;
- and at least one monolithic molded plastic tie member having opposed ends with a web member between the ends extending along a web axis, a bearing member at each end of the tie member, extending generally transverse to the web axis and embedded in the wall portion of a respective form member with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the bearing member and each end of the tie member having a stabilizing member extending generally transverse to the web axis, spaced from the bearing member and embedded in the rib portion of a respective form member adjacent the interior form surface thereof with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the stabilizing member;
the improvement in said form members comprising;
a reinforced foamed article including a three-dimensional foam matrix core of expanded dry flowable foam beads;
an internal reinforcing openwork reinforcing member disposed in the foam matrix and attached to the expanded beads of the foam matrix;
a sizing between at least some of the foam beads and the openwork reinforcing member; and
at least a majority of said openwork reinforcing member oriented in said foam matrix in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Reinforcement is provided for foam articles made from dry flowable expanding beads. The reinforcement includes a net work of elements, preferably woven or roving type. The net work is positioned within the foam matrix at a location remote from an applied force so as to impart increased bursting strength to the foam matrix.
129 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. In a freestanding form module for receiving flowable materials to make a wall which includes the form module, the flowable materials exerting a force in a selected direction, the form module comprising at least two spaced-apart form members having opposed interior form surfaces, each form member including a wall portion and a rib portion extending from the wall portion toward another one of said form members;
- and at least one monolithic molded plastic tie member having opposed ends with a web member between the ends extending along a web axis, a bearing member at each end of the tie member, extending generally transverse to the web axis and embedded in the wall portion of a respective form member with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the bearing member and each end of the tie member having a stabilizing member extending generally transverse to the web axis, spaced from the bearing member and embedded in the rib portion of a respective form member adjacent the interior form surface thereof with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the stabilizing member;
the improvement in said form members comprising;
a reinforced foamed article including a three-dimensional foam matrix core of expanded dry flowable foam beads;
an internal reinforcing openwork reinforcing member disposed in the foam matrix and attached to the expanded beads of the foam matrix;
a sizing between at least some of the foam beads and the openwork reinforcing member; and
at least a majority of said openwork reinforcing member oriented in said foam matrix in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- and at least one monolithic molded plastic tie member having opposed ends with a web member between the ends extending along a web axis, a bearing member at each end of the tie member, extending generally transverse to the web axis and embedded in the wall portion of a respective form member with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the bearing member and each end of the tie member having a stabilizing member extending generally transverse to the web axis, spaced from the bearing member and embedded in the rib portion of a respective form member adjacent the interior form surface thereof with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the stabilizing member;
-
6. A method of producing a reinforced foamed article comprising the steps of:
-
providing dry expandable flowable foam beads;
providing an openwork reinforcing member;
providing a mold cavity;
placing the openwork reinforcing member in the mold cavity;
flowing the foam beads into the mold cavity and around the openwork reinforcing member; and
heating the foam beads and the openwork reinforcing member within the mold cavity while allowing the foam beads to expand and fuse with one another to form a three-dimensional foam matrix with the openwork reinforcing member disposed therein. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification