Expandable baffle apparatus

A lightweight expandable baffle apparatus for sealing a cavity of a vehicle body at a predetermined cross section of the cavity, the apparatus comprising:

• a piece of heat expandable sealing material that is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the cross section of the cavity, the sealing material having an activation temperature lower than 149.degree. C. at which the material expands:
• a rigid support element for supporting the piece of sealing material at the predetermined cross section while the apparatus is subjected to the activation temperature and the sealing material expands to seal the cavity at the cross section,
• the support element being formed of a material having a melting point higher than the activation temperature, and including an open lattice formed of a shape corresponding to the shape of the cross section of the cavity and including a peripheral strip and a plurality of crossed strips interior of and connected to the peripheral strips,
• the piece of sealing material being supported on the lattice so that when the sealing material is activated, the material expands radially to fill the cross section of the cavity and longitudinally through the lattice;
• and
• a fastening means for fastening the apparatus in place within the cavity at the cross section,
• the fastening means including a mechanical fastener formed of the same material as the support element.

A lightweight expandable baffle apparatus for sealing a cavity of a vehicle body at a predetermined cross section of the cavity, the apparatus comprising:

• a piece of heat expandable sealing material that is formed in a shape corresponding to but smaller than the shape of the cross section of the cavity, the sealing material having an activation temperature lower than 149.degree. C. at which the material expands;
• and
• a rigid support element for supporting the piece of sealing material at the predetermined cross section while the apparatus is subjected to the activation temperature and the sealing material expands to seal the cavity at the cross section,
• the support element being formed of a material having a melting point higher than the activation temperature, and including an open lattice formed of a shape corresponding to but smaller than the shape of the piece of sealing material of the cross section of the cavity and including a peripheral strip and a plurality of crossed strips interior of and connected to the peripheral strips,
• the piece of sealing material including opposed planer surfaces, wherein one of the surfaces includes a depression corresponding in shape and size with the lattice of the support element so that the support element nests in the depression to support the sealing element, the material expanding radially beyond the support element when activated to fill the cross section of the cavity and expanding longitudinally both through and away from the lattice.