Method of forming fastenable member for sealing, baffling or reinforcing

• US 8,671,573 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.
• Inventors: Larsen, Douglas C., Kleino, Thomas D., Kassa, Abraham, Barz, William J., Harthcock, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): COZART, JERMIE E
• Application Number:
  US13/088,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20110192015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 298/972, 294/12, 294/17, 294/28, 294/58, 294/695, 295/250.1, 295/251.1, 295/251.2, 295/271, 295/272, 298/97, 298/971, 264/173.11, 264/173.16, 264/173.17, 264/177.1, 277/650, 277/651, 277/906, 277/922, 277/930, 277/931, 277/935, 277/944
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/88 other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/04 characterised by the nature of the material involved or the kind of product independently of its shape
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0025 Applying surface layers, e.g. coatings, decorative layers, printed layers, to articles during shaping, e.g. in-mould printing moulding on preformed layers as inserts B29C70/68; applying fluent material to surfaces in general B05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0012 combined with shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0021 combined with joining, lining or laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0022 combined with cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/15 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. extrusion moulding around inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/21 the layers being joined at their surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/34 Cross-head annular extrusion nozzles, i.e. for simultaneously receiving moulding material and the preform to be coated
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/40 using two or more parallel screws or at least two parallel non-intermeshing screws, e.g. twin screw extruders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/605 the thread being discontinuous
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/6803 Materials, coating or lining therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/687 having projections with a short length in the barrel direction, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0053 Producing sealings B29D99/0085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/005 coated
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/727 Fastening elements bolts B29L2001/002; nuts B29L2001/005; screws B29L2001/007; slide fasteners B29L2005/00; buttons for haberdashery B29L2019/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/06 : readily releasable
• 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: B62D 65/06 : the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 277/944 : Elastomer or plastic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49618 : Restoring existing member, e.g., reinforcing, repairing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 : Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49798 : Dividing sequentially from leading end, e.g., by cutting or breaking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 : with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49906 : Metal deforming with nonmetallic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 : by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 : Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 : Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2826 : Synthetic resin or polymer

Abstract

There is disclosed a member for sealing, baffling and/or reinforcing components of an automotive vehicle. The assembly generally includes a carrier, an expandable material and at least one fastener.

Claims

1. A method of forming members for providing sealing, baffling or reinforcement to one or more structures, the method comprising:

providing an expandable material and a carrier material;

co-extruding the expandable material and carrier material whereby the expandable material is extruded in a cylindrical profile onto and surrounding a substantially planar carrier portion of the carrier material prior to expansion of the expandable material;

providing a fastener connected to the carrier portion, the fastener including one or more extensions;

locating the expandable material into a vehicle cavity by placing the fastener through an opening in a cavity wall.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of forming the expandable material in a cylindrical shape includes cutting the expandable material to form individual members.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material is formed by cross-head extrusion.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the fastener is a mechanical fastener that is separately formed from the expandable material.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material is adapted for forming a sealing material, an acoustical material, an adhesive, a structural foam, or a combination of at least two of the foregoing.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material is a material that is thermally deformable at a temperature of extrusion, but upon thermal activation at an elevated temperature will cross link to form a thermoset material.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material includes a plastic selected from the group consisting of thermoplastics, thermosets, or a combination thereof or a resin selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, a thermoplastic resin, an acetate resin, an EPDM resin, a phenoxy resin, a polyurethane resin or a combination thereof.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the fastener is embedded in the expandable material.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material is extruded through an extruder selected from a single-screw extruder, a twin-screw extruder or a mini-applicator to dispose the expandable material on the carrier material.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material volumetrically expands to a size that is at least 3000% its original size up exposure to elevated temperatures.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein the expandable material has a configuration that has a substantially uniform thickness.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the fastener is integrally formed with the carrier material.

13. The method of claim 1, including a step of connecting the fastener to one or more of the carrier material, the expandable material, or both after co-extrusion of the expandable material and carrier material and cutting of the expandable material and carrier material.

14. A method of forming members for providing sealing, baffling or reinforcement to one or more structures, the method comprising:

providing an expandable material having a substantially uniform thickness and a carrier material;

co-extruding the expandable material and carrier material whereby the expandable material is extruded in a cylindrical profile onto and surrounding a substantially planar carrier portion of the carrier material prior to expansion of the expandable material;

providing a fastener connected to the carrier portion, the fastener including a plurality of extensions;

locating the expandable material into a vehicle cavity by placing the fastener through an opening in a cavity wall whereby at least two of the extensions are extended through the opening, the extensions being flexed toward one another until located through the opening and spread away from each other once through the opening to form an interference fit between the member and the cavity wall.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the expandable material volumetrically expands to a size that is at least 3000% its original size up exposure to elevated temperatures.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the fastener is integrally formed with the carrier material.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forming the expandable material in a cylindrical shape includes cutting the expandable material to form individual members.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the expandable material is a material that is thermally deformable at a temperature of extrusion, but upon thermal activation at an elevated temperature will cross link to form a thermoset material.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the fastener is embedded in the expandable material.

20. The method of claim 14, including a step of connecting the fastener to one or more of the carrier material, the expandable material, or both after co-extrusion of the expandable material and carrier material and cutting of the expandable material and carrier material.