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US 4,751,249 AGranted
Reinforcement insert for a structural member and method of making and using the same
AssigneeMPA Diversified Products Inc.
InventorJoseph Wycech
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMPA Diversified Products Inc.
InventorJoseph Wycech
Estimating the term…
A precast composite plastic reinforcement insert, method of making the reinforcement insert and method of reinforcing a structural member. The insert includes pellets which are formed of a mixture of a thermosetting polymeric resin and a blowing agent. Polymeric resins disclosed include a one-part epoxy with a thermal curing system or a thermoplastic polyester resin. The pellets in one embodiment are retained within a matrix of expanded polystyrene and in combination form the insert. The insert is formed in a mold cavity which receives the pellets and unexpanded polystyrene which is expanded during the process by heating the same within the mold cavity. The insert is used to reinforce a structural member by placing it in the structural member prior to a thermal paint curing operation. The insert is transformed into a lightweight, high-strength reinforcement during the paint curing operation wherein the expanded polystyrene of one embodiment is vaporized, the pellets are expanded and then cured, forming bonds between adjacent pellets and the structural member. If the pellets are not retained in a styrofoam matrix, the insert may be coated with a polymeric adhesive prior to placing it in a structural member.
A precast reinforcement insert for a structural member, comprising:
A precast insert for use as a structural reinforcement member in a hollow structure comprising a plurality of thermosetting pellets partially bonded together, said thermosetting pellets being a mixture of a polyester resin and a high temperature curing agent in the range of 2.0 to 5.0 percent of resin weight, pre-expanded microspheres in the range of 1.5 to 4.0 times the resin volume, and a B-staged epoxy adhesive coating applied to said thermosetting pellets, said epoxy adhesive coating having a high temperature curing agent in the range of 2.0 to 5.0 percent of coating weight and an accelerator in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 percent of said coating weight, said plurality of thermosetting pellets being partially bonded together by the curing of said epoxy adhesive coating.
A method of reinforcing a hollow structural member by bonding a reinforcing insert into said structural member to provide greater strength to said structural member comprising the steps of:
A method of forming a precast composite plastic insert for use in reinforcing a hollow structural member comprising the steps of;
A method of forming a precast composite plastic insert comprising the steps of:
A method for reinforcing a hollow structural member by bonding a reinforcing insert inside said structural member, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.