Member for reinforcing, sealing or baffling and reinforcement system formed therewith
A member is provided for reinforcing, sealing or baffling structures of articles of manufacture such as automotive vehicles. The member typically includes a carrier member at least partially formed of a metal material and having a cellular structure. The member also typically includes an expandable material disposed on the carrier member.
1 . A process for reinforcing, sealing or baffling a structure of an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
forming a metal material into a carrier, the metal material including aluminum, magnesium or both, wherein the carrier includes:
i. an internal portion formed of a metallic foam having a density of less than about 0.7 grams/cm 3 ; and
ii. an outer skin that is at least 0.7 mm thick, the outer skin substantially surrounding and enclosing the internal portion;
applying an expandable material upon the outer skin of the carrier to form a reinforcement member;
inserting the member within a cavity of the structure; and
activating the expandable material to expand, contact and wet internal walls of the structure defining the cavity and cure and adhere the member within cavity.
2 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the structure is part of an automotive vehicle.
3 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the forming of the metal material into a carrier includes casting of the metal material by placing pressure upon a bath of the metal material such that the metal material flows into a die cavity.
4 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the metal material of the carrier is at least 85% metal.
5 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the metal material includes metal matrix composite.
6 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the forming of the metal material into a carrier is accomplished using low pressure aluminum casting.
7 . A process as in claim 1 wherein at least 70% of the outer skin is at least 1.2 mm thick.
8 . A process as in claim 1 wherein at least 90% of the outer skin is at least 2.0 mm thick.
9 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the internal portion of the carrier has a density less than 0.5 g/cm 2 .
10 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the outer skin is roughened or textured for allowing the expandable material to adhere to a surface of the carrier with greater strength.
11 . A process as in claim 1 wherein the shape of the carrier corresponds to the shape of the cavity of the structure.
12 . A process for reinforcing, sealing or baffling a structure of an article of manufacture, the process comprising:
forming a metal material into a carrier having an internal cellular structure, the metal material including aluminum, magnesium or both, wherein the forming of the carrier includes:
i. extruding, casting or molding of the metal material in an at least partially molten state;
applying an expandable material upon the outer skin of the carrier to form a reinforcement member;
inserting the member within a cavity of the structure; and
activating the expandable material to expand, contact and wet internal walls of the structure defining the cavity and cure and adhere the member within cavity.
13 . A process as in claim 12 wherein the structure is part of an automotive vehicle.
14 . A process as in claim 12 wherein the forming of the metal material includes casting of the metal material by placing pressure upon a bath of the metal material such that the metal material flows into a cavity of a die.
15 . A process as in claim 14 wherein the metal material flows through a riser tube into the cavity of the die and a gas is bubbled through the metal material and the metal material is cooled to form the internal cellular structure.
16 . A process as in claim 15 wherein the die is at a first temperature and the metal material is at a second temperature as the metal material flows into the cavity of the die such that the carrier in formed with a relatively thick skin upon the outer periphery of the carrier and the internal cellular portion is substantially surrounded by the skin wherein the second temperature is at least 40% greater than the first temperature.
17 . A process as in claim 16 wherein at least 70% of the skin is at least 0.7 mm thick.
18 . A process as in claim 17 wherein the internal portion has a density less than 0.5 g/cm 3 .
19 . A process as 17 further comprising roughening an outer surface of the skin of the carrier.
20 . A process for reinforcing, sealing or baffling a structure of an automotive vehicle, the process comprising:
forming a metal material into a carrier having an internal cellular structure, the metal material including aluminum, wherein the forming of the carrier includes:
i. low pressure casting of the metal material in an at least partially molten state for forming the carrier with an outer skin of at least 2 mm thickness surrounding an internal cellular portion having a density of less than about 0.36 g/cm 3 ;
applying an expandable material upon the outer skin of the carrier to form a reinforcement member;
inserting the member within a cavity of the structure of the automotive vehicle; and
activating the expandable material to expand, contact and wet internal walls of the structure defining the cavity and cure and adhere the member within cavity.