Structural reinforcement member for wheel well
AssigneeL&L Products, Inc.
InventorWilliam J. Barz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structural reinforcement member for reinforcing a wheel well area of an automobile includes a carrier and a load distributing medium supported by the carrier. The carrier also may include a reinforced protrusion, two reinforced openings, and an outwardly extending flange. The flange includes a reinforced raised portion having a shape similar to that of the flange. The load distributing medium is a structural foam and preferably an epoxy-based resin. The preferred load distributing medium is L5206, L5207, L5208, or L5209 structural foam commercially available from L&L Products of Romeo, Mich.
Claims24
A structural reinforcement member for reinforcing a wheel well portion of an automobile frame, comprising:
- a carrier adapted to fit in a wheel well portion of an automobile frame, the carrier having a front surface and a rear surface;
- and
- a load distributing medium supported by the carrier.
A structural reinforcement member for reinforcing a wheel well portion of an automobile frame, comprising:
- a carrier adapted to fit in the wheel well portion, the carrier having a front surface and a rear surface;
- an outwardly extending flange supported by the carrier;
- a reinforced protruding portion extending from the front surface;
- a structural foam layer supported by the front surface of the carrier for absorbing energy.
A method for reinforcing a wheel well portion of an automobile frame, comprising the steps of:
- providing a structural member containing the wheel well portion;
- coupling a reinforcement member to the wheel well portion of the structural member, wherein the reinforcement member includes a carrier and a load distributing medium supported by the carrier;
- and
- activating the load distributing medium by changing a predetermined ambient condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.