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US 2013/0270731 A1Published application
Shaped expandable material
AssigneeZephyros, Inc.
InventorsAbraham Kassa, David Kosal, Kevin Hicks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expandable material is shaped to form a part that can provide functional attributes such as reinforcement to a structure of article of manufacture such as an automotive vehicle.
Claims20
A method of reinforcing a structure of an article of manufacture, the method comprising:
- providing an expandable material having a self supporting characteristic during expansion thereof that is due to partial curing of the expandable material, fast cure time of the expandable material or the inclusion of one or more of the following in the expandable material:
- i) relatively high molecular weight polymeric material;
- ii) toughened thermoplastic;
- or
- iii) thixotropic or fibrous filler;
- shaping the expandable material into a part;
- inserting the part into a cavity that is at least partially defined by a structure of the article of manufacture;
- and
- activating the activatable material to cure, expand and adhere to walls of the structure.
6 more elements
A method of reinforcing a structure of an automotive vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing an expandable material having a self supporting characteristic during expansion thereof that is due to partial curing of the expandable material or fast cure time of the expandable material and the inclusion of two or more of the following in the expandable material:
- i) relatively high molecular weight polymeric material including epoxy resin having a molecular weight greater than about 1200;
- ii) toughened thermoplastic including toughened TPER;
- or
- iii) fibrous filler;
- shaping the expandable material into a part;
- inserting the part into a cavity that is at least partially defined by a structure of the automotive vehicle;
- and
- activating the activatable material to cure, expand and adhere to walls of the structure wherein the part substantially maintains is shape during expansion.
6 more elements
A method of reinforcing a structure of an automotive vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing an expandable material having a self supporting characteristic during expansion thereof that is due to partial curing of the expandable material or fast cure time of the expandable material and the inclusion of two or more of the following in the expandable material:
- i) relatively high molecular weight polymeric material including epoxy resin having a molecular weight greater than about 1200;
- ii) toughened thermoplastic including toughened TPER;
- or
- iii) aramid fiber;
- shaping the expandable material into a part wherein shaping of the part includes extrusion of the part to having a tubular shape with internal ribs;
- inserting the part into a cavity that is at least partially defined by a structure of the automotive vehicle;
- and
- activating the activatable material to cure, expand and adhere to walls of the structure.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.