Epoxy resin type composition for stiffening vehicle body and method for stiffening vehicle body

A method for stiffening a vehicle body, comprising the steps of:

• providing a foaming material having been formed into a solid tube containing an epoxy resin type composition;
• arranging said foaming material in an inside of a box type structural member of said vehicle body such that a tubular side of said foaming material is separated from a constitutional panel constituting said box type structural member of said vehicle body;
• and
• permitting said foaming material arranged in said inside of said box type structural member of said vehicle body to be foamed by baking of a coating on said vehicle body such that said foaming material becomes foamed body thereby filling said inside of said box type structural member of said vehicle body, wherein said epoxy resin type composition comprises:
• epoxy resin;
• a powdery methacrylate type polymer in an amount of 2 to 45 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• a thermally active hardening agent for epoxy resin in an amount of 1 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• a thermally decomposable organic type foaming agent in an amount of 0.5 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• and
• a mixture of an inorganic salt with a shape of a predetermined aspect ratio and a granular inorganic salt, said mixture being in an amount of 50 to 200 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin wherein a mixing ratio of said granular inorganic salt is 0 to 50% by weight relative to a total amount of said mixture.

A method for stiffening a vehicle body, comprising the steps of:

• providing a foaming material having been formed into a hollow tube containing an epoxy resin type composition;
• arranging said foaming material in an inside of a box type structural member of said vehicle body such that a tubular side of said foaming material is separated from a constitutional panel constituting said box type structural member of said vehicle body;
• and
• permitting said foaming material arranged in said inside of said box type structural member of said vehicle body to be foamed by baking of a coating on said vehicle body such that said foaming material becomes foamed body thereby filling said inside of said box type structural member of said vehicle body, wherein said epoxy resin type composition comprises:
• epoxy resin;
• a powdery methacrylate type polymer in an amount of 2 to 45 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• a thermally active hardening agent for epoxy resin in an amount of 1 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• a thermally decomposable organic type foaming agent in an amount of 0.5 to 20 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin;
• and
• a mixture of an inorganic salt with a shape of a predetermined aspect ratio and a granular inorganic salt, said mixture being in an amount of 50 to 200 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of said epoxy resin wherein a mixing ratio of said granular inorganic salt is 0 to 50% by weight relative to a total amount of said mixture.